homebound previously untitled
by AlthaLeona
Summary: The team is still haunted by the thefts. This takes palce aproximately two and half years after the last truck heist. Forget the last scene with Dom driving in Mexico. It can't happen for this story. Chapters 18-19 have been added.
1. disclaimer

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the TFATF characters, they belong to the writer, director, producers, etc. I just use the ready-made characters for my own strictly entertainment purposes. Even the titles of the chapters don't belong to me, they come from Nelly's "#1." However, the MacNeals, Micheal Nolans, and this story are mine. No profit is made by me. I share, but let me know if you would like to use anything from this story. 


	2. chapter 1 - takin' nothing for granted

Chapter One  
  
  
Takin' Nothing for Granted  
  
  
"My sister's moving in next week, Dom. I think you'll like her," Nathan said. Dominic flashed a look at Nathan and quickly returned to his work under the hood of his car, preparing for next Friday.   
  
"C'mon. It's only been three months since me and Letty split. I'm sure your sister's a nice girl and all, but don't be tryin' to set me up."   
  
"I'm not trying to set you up with my sister. She'd kill me if I did that. I just meant that she's into cars and you're into cars." Dom shot another incredulous look at Nathan as he finished up.   
  
"Look, man, I'm not interested." Seeing the exasperated look on Nathan's face, he gave an inch. "Okay, what's her name?"   
  
"Kate." Dom did a double take. When Nathan moved in next door last year, Dom ran a check on him as per usual. Nathan Eugene MacNeal had a clean record. The red hair and the MacNeal name did not escape Dom then, but he thought that if Nathan had been of any close relation to Katelynn Marie MacNeal, he would have said something.   
  
"You're sister is Kate MacNeal? Kitty-Kate? That little spitfire that's been tearing up the streets in San Diego? Is she gonna race in LA?"   
  
"I told you, you'd like her," Nathan smiled.   
  
"I can't believe you never told me," he grumbled. Mia Toretto appeared at the door of the garage before Dom could say anything else.   
  
"Did you boys forget we have to go pick up Brian? C'mon, he's only been waiting for the past year and a half. Get yourselves cleaned up," she ordered.   
  
After Dominic left Brian standing in the middle of the street next to his father's wrecked Charger and waiting on the cops, Brian had made a decision. Dom was good guy with a heart so big he tripped over it occasionally. So, when the other police finally arrived, Brian had said he had been driving the black beast and hit a truck while Dom got away.   
  
However, that wasn't all Brian did. When he got back to the station, he gave a wrong description of the car Dom left in, and when he was left to his own devices he destroyed all the evidence they had on the case. Knowing his career was over and that he would soon be arrested, Brian calmly waited for someone to discover what he had done. While waiting, he called Mia to tell her everything. Eight months and a three day trial later, Brian was sentenced to six years in prison for destroying private property, interfering with a police investigation, obstruction of justice, aiding and abetting a criminal, and reckless endangerment. Up for parole in a year and a half.   
  
Vince had been the only person the truck driver from the last heist could positively identify. After his injuries were healed, he went to trial. He got a plea bargain for incriminating the late Johnny Tran, and the sentence for grand theft was reduced to three years. He was paroled two months earlier. Vince would always carry the scars of their last attempted theft.   
  
The police kept Dom under strict surveillance, though they couldn't arrest him without evidence. He and his friends had everything packed and ready to go but knew they wouldn't be allowed to leave town. Dominic had promised Letty that they would all be on a beach in Mexico by then, but the police found his accounts, and found them questionable. With a judge's permission, all of Dom's money was frozen pending further investigation. Confident that no one would leave without it, the police let up. They were right.   
  
On a visit to the prison in which Brian was held, Dom promised not to do anything illegal, including racing, until Brian was free. It was an apology for getting Brian into his mess and a way of letting Brian know that he held no ill-will towards him. It also made sure that the police would have nothing more than his accounts to go on. True to his word, Dom didn't race, though it did not stop him from watching. It wouldn't last for long. Brian was a free man today and there was a drag race in a week's time. 


	3. chapter 2 - one-on-one you can't hold me

Author's note: I have no idea if there's a street in LA named Trenton, so, if there's not one, just bear with me please.   
  
Chapter Two   
One-on-One You Can't Hold Me   
  
"Too bad Jesse couldn't be here tonight," Leon said. "Everyone's been looking forward to this, and he's missing it."   
  
"Well, he's here in spirit," Letty replied. "We'll all be seeing him soon and if we don't have something worth telling him, I'm sure he'll kick our collective ass."   
  
"Might do good to lose, Dom," Vince piped up. "Maybe it'll get him riled up enough to get out of that wheel chair. Miracles have happened."   
  
Dom would trade places with Jesse if he could. Jesse was young, he idolized Dom. When the bullets tore through him, Dom felt that he should have been able to protect him. The shots, thankfully, missed Jesse's heart, but ripped up a lung and severed his spinal cord. He was knocked out cold by his head hitting the pavement and for all appearances, dead.   
  
Mia called 911 immediately, but thought it was too late. The paramedics worked on him all the way to the hospital, and Jesse was quickly rushed into surgery. Nine hours later, Leon held Mia as the doctors told here that Jesse would never walk again and would probably suffer health problems from his damaged lung for the rest of his life. Dom smiled, if it meant Jesse could get his life back to normal, he'd lose every race and let Jesse kick his ass whenever he wanted.  
  
-----  
  
"You're next door neighbor's Dominic Toretto?! And you did not feel that this was important enough to tell me?" Kate asked. "You're hopeless, Nate, hopeless."   
  
"Well, it kinda slipped my mind. Besides, what did it matter? You were in San Diego. Turn here." Nathan and Kate were on their way to the warehouses where the racers met up before they did the quarter. "You're still going to race, right? Tonight Dom's coming out of retirement." Kate had been overjoyed at the idea of breaking into LA's racing scene on her first night, but Nathan knew enough about Dom to know that he was his sister's biggest threat, considering if he still had that "it" quality in him. Few thought that he had lost his touch.   
  
"Of course. You think I would miss the chance to go toe to toe with him?" ----- "And who do we have here?" Vince asked as a car that no one there had seen before arrived. Dom gave a low whistle.   
  
"That's Nathan's sister. Kitty-Kate MacNeal." The 2002 Porsche Boxter S pulled up beside Dom's and his friends' cars. It was a metallic cherry red with sterling silver stars in what was usually a flaming pattern from the front. From the decals Dom could see that the engine was the most powerful one that could fit into the car, and it carried a heavy amount of nitrous oxide.   
  
"That's a damn good paint job. Not a ripple, not a bubble. Those decals aren't even stickers, they're painted on. The details are hot," Letty observed. "Wouldn't expect any less of her." When he received a questioning look, he explained,   
  
"She's just as good with an air brush as she is with a car. How do you think she paid for the Porsche?"   
  
Both the driver and passenger side doors opened. Nathan's tall, lanky frame stood from the passenger side. Dom nodded a hello and focused his attention on the driver's side door.   
  
A copper-red head arose first. There were several catcalls issued from the men in the crowd when Kate stood fully erect. She was wearing a knitted, long-sleeved, fishnet shirt with big gaps between the strings that just had a piece of dark gray cloth sewn in to cover her chest. The shirt showed off a black cat tattoo on her right upper arm; the tail wrapped around her arm twice down to the back of her elbow. She also wore charcoal gray slacks that angled down lower on the front right side exposing the side string of a deep red thong. Everyone could see that the string tied at the side and black and red beads were hanging from the ends of the string. Her boots were black and lifted her three inches. Dominic was certain that the attention that had been bestowed on him and Brian when they arrived was not going to be returned to them. Kate and Nathan approached the small group of friends. Dom noticed that Nathan's usual limp was a little more pronounced.   
  
"Dom, I'd like you to meet my sister Kate," Nathan introduced. "Kate, this is Dominic Toretto."   
  
The girl looked over his clothes. She took note of the black slacks that she was sure fit his ass oh-so-well, his black combat boots, and the black sleeveless shirt he wore. He sure likes his nondescript black, she thought. He offered his hand and she gripped it as firmly as she could manage. Spending her life around boys, she learned a few things. A great handshake from a girl impressed guys.   
  
"I assure you, it's a pleasure," Dom said smoothly.   
  
"Same here."   
  
"Whatcha got under the hood?" he moved straight to business. Kate reached inside her car and popped the hood. As he opened it, he noticed the license plate: HELLCAT. The engine was as beautiful to Dom as the body was to Letty. He could see that Kate's artistic side had leaked under the hood as well. The motor was a mixture of red and chrome-plated parts, and his first inclination was right: her motor was just as powerful as his. "How much nos?" he asked.   
  
"Two cans, heavy."   
  
"You sure you can handle it?" Her reputation preceded her and he knew she could very well handle it, but he wanted to get under her skin before the race.   
  
"I don't know, Dom," Vince replied before Kate could, picking up on Dom's idea, "she looks more like a flag girl to me. Or a trophy girl, maybe. How 'bout it, kitten?"   
  
"You racin'?" she pointedly asked Vince. Taking his silence as a no, she continued,   
  
"'Cause I think you're more flag girl than I'll ever be. You ain't much of a trophy, though." She then turned back to Dom. "What's the cover charge?"   
  
"Two thousand. Give it to my man Hector." A young Hispanic man walked from behind Dom.   
  
"Hey, like he said, I'm Hector. I gotta take the opportunity to thank you. You kept the money flowin' in while Dom was away. I never lost a bet on you." Kate flashed a smile as she handed him the money.   
  
"Who we waiting on?" Dom asked Hector.   
  
"Nolans. He said he'd be here tonight. I believe his exact words were, 'I'm gonna beat some Toretto ass.' But with you and Kate here, I think he's gonna have a problem."   
  
"Nolans?" Kate asked, suspiciously.   
  
"Micheal Nolans," Leon explained. Recognition dawned on Kate's face, replaced by a look of sheer hatred.   
  
"Micheal's here? I knew that prick was riding above San Diego, but I didn't think he was here."   
  
"You know him?" Dom asked.   
  
"Unfortunately. That was when I fell into the 'young and stupid' category. But don't worry, he can't beat you."   
  
"How do you know this?"   
  
"'Cause he can't beat me."   
  
"Think I can beat you?" he taunted.   
  
"I'm used to San Diego streets. My quarters are hills and curves, and I'm the best. You, now you are used to flat and straight, and you're the best. Your quarters are easy. You can't beat me."   
  
"Care to make a personal wager?"   
  
"Depends."   
  
"Doesn't matter if neither of us win, but if I cross that finish line before you, I got a car that needs paint."   
  
"And what if I win?"   
  
"You won't." She raised an eyebrow at him. " If you win, whatever you want."   
  
"And what if I don't want anything from you?"   
  
"Want something."   
  
"It's time," Vince interrupted their banter. Dom and Kate shook hands once more and made their way to their cars. One by one, thirty cars pulled out and drove to a deserted street, blocking the roads from other cars.   
  
When Kate's car had stopped in front of the line, she looked to her right. Dom met her eyes and nodded before looking past her. She turned to see Micheal Nolans on her left.   
  
"You sure you should be racing tonight? You could hurt yourself," he called to her.   
  
"Don't worry about it, Mikey. You never cared to begin with, it'd be a shame to start now." She turned her attention to the two switches on the stick. She popped their cases up and made sure she could trigger them easily after prepping her nos, missing Dom's questioning glance. She then turned on the stereo and sighed as the sounds of Linkin Park pumped into the car. She gripped the steering wheel and the shifter and waited for the signal.   
  
Five cars shot past the line as the flag dropped. Dom quickly pulled out ahead of everyone else with Kate slightly ahead of Micheal and two cars trailing. The other cars and Micheal almost simultaneously hit their nos and he pulled head of Dom while the others struggled to catch up. When Kate got up to sixty-five, she fired her first nos tank. She pulled ahead of everyone momentarily, but saw Dom slide by her in her peripheral vision. Two seconds later they both crossed the finish line. Dom pulled to the end of the road, turned his car, stopped, and was about to get out when Kate turned and stopped with her window facing his.   
  
"You had the nerve to tie with me?" she asked. "Why didn't you just beat me? I would have at least appreciated that."   
  
"What do you think I was doing? I was trying to beat you. It just didn't turn out that way." The last time Dom had raced here, he gave a speech about how winning was still winning whether it was by an inch or by a mile, and now he had this little harpy yelling at him about tying with her.   
  
"She doesn't like ties," Micheal said in his prim British accent, walking up. Neither one had noticed his black Supra pull up. He leaned against Dominic's door, facing Kate. "Do you, kitten?" He turned his attention to Dominic. "Well, well, is this the great Mr. Toretto? Back from the racing dead, I see."   
  
"Micheal, shut up," Kate interjected.   
  
"So, Katey-poo, did you get it done? You know I'm always more than willing to let you come back to me. I do miss you the least bit."   
  
"I think I have some lotion in the glove compartment, if that will help."   
  
"See this is why we never work, you're too free spirited."   
  
"The reason why we never work is you're too much of an ass."   
  
"Cops!" Leon called. Everyone scrambled to their cars and took off. Brian ran to Dom's car and jumped in the passenger side as Nate got into Kate's car. They both took of in different directions. Dom made it three blocks before a couple of lucky cops blocked his path.   
  
"Shit, shit, shit," Brian swore. "One week out and I'm right back in-"   
  
"I'm not letting you go back to jail, and I ain't goin' either," Dominic replied.   
  
"What are you going to do?"   
"I don't know, I'll think of something."   
  
"Think faster."   
  
"And just what have you boys been doing tonight?" one cop asked as he walked up to Dom's window.   
  
"Hello, officer," he greeted warmly. "We've just been driving around a little."   
  
"Got a call a few minutes ago, street racing. Wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"   
  
"Yeah, in fact I would. I tried to cross Trenton and there were cars lined up in my way, wouldn't let me through. I had to find another way. That's probably my call you answered."   
  
"You a female impersonator, son?"   
  
"No, why?"   
  
"'Cause a girl called it in." If Brian hadn't been so sick thinking about going straight back to prison, he would have laughed. His head turned at the sound of a motor and he saw a red streak fly by. The car made it's way to the bottom of the hill and swung around, its brights flashing up at them. All three of the men could hear the sound of the engine revving, then the car started charging uphill. "You boys stay here." The officer retreated to his car, and radioed the other cop to keep an eye on the two men. Then he took off after the red car. With a clear exit, Dom lit out of there, quickly losing the other officer.   
  
"Was that Kate?" Brian asked.   
  
"I believe so."   
  
"Dom, don't ever become a female impersonator," he laughed.   
  
"You have nothing to worry about." He pulled up to a busy intersection and shot a glance out of his window as Kate stopped beside him.   
  
"How are you fellas doing?" Nate asked.   
  
"Just fine thanks to you and your sister. Just fine," Dom responded. "There's a party at my house tonight, You're welcome to come."   
  
"Wouldn't miss it," Kate smiled. 


	4. chapter 3 - yo, where the party?

Chapter Three  
Yo, Where the Party   
  
Nate, Brian, Dom, and Kate walked into the house. They were immediately bombarded by loud music and liquor.   
  
"Where ya been, buddy?" Vince asked, hooking an arm around Dominic.   
  
"Why is it that whenever I get caught by the police, you're always here?"   
  
"Don't know. Maybe 'cause I know when to get my ass out of a bad situation." He received a cold glare from Dom. "Hey, at least you'd know where to find me so I can come bail you out."   
  
"Thankfully, Kate here distracted the cop long enough for us to get away." After a quick introduction to Mia, Brian was pulled upstairs. Nathan and Vince moved to talk to some partiers, leaving Dom and Kate.   
  
"C'mon," Dom prodded, walking to the kitchen where there were less people. "You want a beer?"   
  
"No thanks."   
  
"You even twenty-one yet?"   
  
"Twenty-two, actually."   
  
"So, why did you decide to move here?"   
  
"I worked at my dad's shop, but he's retiring early. He gave me the business, but other than that, there's no reason for me to stay. Actually, I really needed to get away from there for a little while. I may go back and open up again, but I'm fine here right now. What about you?"   
  
"I've lived here my whole life. Me and Mia have known Vince and Letty since we all were kids. Then Leon and Jesse started coming around years ago. And Brian showed up two years ago. How do you know Nolans?"   
  
"He's my ex. We broke up two months ago."   
  
"Why were you so mad that we tied?"   
  
"A tie means absolutely nothing. It's irrelevant. I like to win, and I don't even mind losing much to someone better than me. But ties don't prove anything. If you would've held off half a second on that charge, you'd have had me."   
  
"If I had held off for half a second, you woulda beat me."   
  
"The chances for you winning were better than you losing. It would have been a risk, but it might have been worth it."   
  
"Hardly anything is worth a loss, especially on my first day back. Now, down to business. When you gonna paint my car?"   
  
"Neither of us won the bet."   
  
"Both of us won. You owe me a paint job, I owe you a favor."   
  
"Let's see the car." He led her to the garage, and heard her take a breath when she laid eyes on the Charger. "What happened?"   
  
"Raced into a semi."   
  
"Well, you've fixed the body nicely. It's just the mix of metal and paint and welding. What color?"   
  
"It was originally black." She ran her eyes over his clothes and sighed.   
  
"Black is not a color, it's a shade along with gray and white. And here you have my talents at your request, why would you just go with black? It seems like a waste."   
  
"What would you suggest?"   
  
"Well, it really depends on what I start with. Tell you what, give me time to get settled in and set up shop, and I'll paint your car. In the meantime, you decide what you want: colors, details, all of it."   
  
"Once you get settled, you can set up at my shop. You got a portfolio?"   
  
"Of course, why?" she questioned.   
  
"Since you're going to be here a while and I could always use some help around the shop, I was thinking of maybe hiring you."   
  
"What makes you think I want to work for you?"   
  
"You sayin' no?"   
  
"No, but I was just wondering why you are so sure that I would say yes."   
  
"One: you need a job. Two: what else you got to do?"   
  
"You free tomorrow?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Come over, and I'll let you have a look at my portfolio." They both looked to the door when they heard a throat clear. Letty stood there, not looking the least bit happy. Kate sensed that this was something between the two of them and excused herself.   
  
"I'm gonna have to go, my dad wants me to call him and tell him how the race went. Bye."   
  
"Goodnight, Kate. See ya tomorrow," Dom called to her retreating figure.   
  
"You too," she threw back over her shoulder. As she walked out the front door, she snatched a bit of Brian's conversation. Apparently, he had come back downstairs and was recounting some tale to the man in a wheelchair.   
  
"...And so the cop looks at Dom and says, 'You a female impersonator, son?' I thought I was going to die right there..."   
  
"What was that all about?" Letty demanded as soon as Kate of out of hearing range.   
  
"What?"   
  
"You just gonna give her my job?"   
  
"I'm not giving her your job. You mostly do body work and mechanics. There's room for someone like her here. She'll eventually start painting again, and I'd much rather have her painting cars under me than taking customers from me."   
  
"No, you'd just rather have her under you," she shot the caustic remark at him.   
  
"Excuse me?"   
  
"You heard me." Letty wasn't so sure of herself now, but she would not back down.   
  
"Who was it that ended our relationship? Who was it that said that they 'fell out of love?' That was you, Letty. You got what you wanted. So don't get jealous if I happen to get friendly with another girl."   
  
-----   
  
Kate hadn't been lying exactly when she said she needed to call her father. Wayne MacNeal had told her to give him a call later that night, but he didn't know about the race. Kate was his baby and he worried about her, that was all.   
  
"Hi, Daddy," she said.   
  
"Hey, Kitty. Did you get moved in all right?"   
  
"Yeah. I still haven't unpacked everything yet, but I kinda have a job interview tomorrow."   
  
"So soon? But I thought you wanted to relax a little first."   
  
"Well, that was before I found out who lives next door. Oh, Daddy, you'll never guess who Nate's neighbor is."   
  
"Tell me."   
  
"Dominic Toretto!" she gushed. "I can't believe that Nate never told us." The MacNeals were a racing family. Wayne did his share of legal and illegal racing when he was younger. He had even raced on the same circuits as Dom's father, before Toretto's tragic end. "Anyway, we kinda had a race-"   
  
"Katelynn Marie MacNeal, I thought I told you to take it easy. That brother of yours is supposed to be keeping an eye on you. Did you at least win?"   
  
"Ugh, no. We tied. Can you believe it? We tied. But, at Dom's party-"   
  
"Dom's party?! You raced and then you went partying?"   
  
"Dad, would you stop interrupting me? Yeah, I went to a party Dom was throwing. He has a car he wants me to paint, which was at his house, which happened to be where the party was at too. It's this old Charger, and I can't wait to get my hands on it."   
  
"Kitty, promise me you'll take it easy. Every white hair on my head can be attributed to you or your brother. Don't race too much okay, especially now."   
  
"Okay, Daddy. Guess what else. Micheal races here."   
  
"That good-for-nothing bastard... Did you at least kick his ass?"   
  
"Oh yes, ass was severely kicked."   
  
"All right, darlin', that's my girl. We both need to be going to bed, goodnight, sweetheart."   
  
"Goodnight, Daddy." 


	5. chapter 4 - show me

Chapter Four  
Show Me   
  
Detective Ash sat across from the policeman, rubbing his eyes and drinking stale coffee.   
  
"Could you pick out his picture?" he asked.   
  
"It was a little dark, but I'm sure I could."   
  
Ash pushed a notebook containing mug shots towards the other man. Pisan wasn't a rookie, but he was newly transferred from the Orange County Police Department. When he gave a description of the men he pulled over the previous night, Ash was sure it was Toretto and O'Conner.   
  
"This is him," Pisan said, pointing to a picture.   
  
"You're sure?" Ash asked, perking up a bit.   
  
"Yeah, absolutely."   
  
"Pisan, if you're right, I'll bear your children. This is Dominic Toretto, the guy behind those semi jobs a few years ago," Ash explained.   
  
"I thought it was that Asian kid, Tran or somethin'."   
  
"Officially, it was. But Toretto's best friend was testifying it. Toretto has millions in the bank and was about to get away with it, but we froze the accounts. We knew that something was up, but we couldn't do nothin'. Now that he's racing again, he'll be back to his old tricks. And this time, he won't get away. Could you see who was driving the red car?"   
  
"No, it went by so fast, and then it had the brights on practically blinding us."   
  
"Okay, I want you to go to the Racer's Edge and talk to Harry Shanks. Don't let him know you're a cop. Get him to give up the name of some racer who could get into a lot of trouble with us, and who will turn over state's evidence to save his own skin, without Shanks knowing that you're scamming him."   
  
-----   
  
Dominic knocked on Nathan's door and waited patiently for it to open.   
  
"Hey, man. What are you doing here?" Nate asked, inviting him in.   
  
"Just come by to see Kate's portfolio. I'm thinking about hiring her down at the shop."   
  
"Oh yeah, she told me about that. She's painting in the living room right now. I'm cooking breakfast, you want some?"   
  
"No, I had some already."   
  
"All right." Nathan walked into the kitchen and Dom walked to the living room. When Nathan had said she was painting in the living room, he hadn't expected her to be painting the living room itself. He watched her prime the walls for a few minutes.   
  
"So, you got a portfolio to show me?"   
  
"You always this businessy first thing in the morning?" she asked, not bothering to turn around and look at him.   
  
"When it's called for, yes."   
  
"You see that black case on the couch? That has my work in it." Dominic sat down on the couch that had been covered in plastic, presumably in preparation for painting, and opened the portfolio. Inside he found numerous drawings, paintings, and sketches, along with pictures of cars that Kate had painted. He had seen her work only twice before including the previous night, and he knew she was very good at what she did, but what he was seeing as he pilfered through the case was amazing. She had a few cars airbrushed to look like Van Gogh and Picasso paintings. There were also a lot of pictures of people that seem to cut right through to their souls.   
  
"This photography is amazing. How long have you been doing it?"   
  
"About ten years. My favorite place to take pictures was at the tracks my dad used to race on. I have all my racing pictures separate. I want to do something with them, but I don't know what."   
  
"What do you usually charge for a car?"   
  
"Depends. Just details, twenty-five bucks a pop for small one and upwards to one hundred or more for larger ones. If I'm painting the whole car, I don't charge less than four thousand for a basic job. Some paints cost a bunch, so that ups the price. Then you've got details and decals; the more you want, the more it costs. And there's my work, my time, and my quality. Oh, and also my cat. No one gets away from me without a cat on their car somewhere. It's my trademark, if you haven't noticed."   
  
"Why do you paint decals? Every brand of equipment you buy comes with decals." She finally turned and stared at him as if he had grown another head. "What?"   
  
"You want me to put a sticker on a car? A sticker? Where's the glamour? Where's the finesse? A sticker? Do I look like Lisa Frank? Stickers," she shook her head. "That's just as bad as choosing black as a color."   
  
"Uh-oh, you thought black was a color?" Nate asked, bringing a plate of breakfast food into the room. "Dom, you are so unbelievably lucky that you're still living. That's a cardinal sin, black as a color," Nate feigned shock. "Listen, man, my sister is crazy-"   
  
"Eccentric." Kate interjected.   
  
"Fine, eccentric, whatever. The point is, she's not sane."   
  
"Name one artist who is sane," she challenged. "I can't help it, it's genetic."   
  
"I personally think it's the paint fumes."   
  
"Are those scrambled eggs?" Kate asked in a wavering voice, looking pointedly at the plate.   
  
"Yeah, why?" The only reply was a muffled "Oh, God" as Kate ran to the bathroom. Retching could be heard down the hall and Dom cast a questioning look towards Nathan.   
  
"I guess I better go dump these out. She has a strong aversion to scrambled eggs." He stood and walked to the kitchen.   
  
After brushing her teeth, Kate walked back into the living room. "I swear, the whole house is white. It's in shock. I think I can work on this forever and never be finished."   
  
"You okay?" Dom asked.   
  
"Yeah. I don't know what came over me. Well?" she asked, gesturing to the portfolio.   
  
"I like it. You're hired."   
  
"So you're just going to hire me? Not even worry about what cut you get, my pay, my hours? I thought you were all business when you had to be," she mimicked his earlier words. "That's bad business."   
  
"You do mechanics too?"   
  
"Live with my father and not know my way around a car? That's impossible. I'm not the best mechanic, but I get it done."   
  
"All right, here's the deal: you work at my shop during the week, full time, and on Saturdays when I need ya. Come by on Monday at about nine A.M. and you, me, and Mia will get everything squared away. Oh, and you forgot this last night," he said, giving her share of the winnings to her.   
  
"Keep it, as a gesture of good faith." Dom quirked his eyebrow. No one had ever told him to keep the money. He was beginning to think that Nathan was right and Kate was crazy. She was something else entirely.   
  
-----   
  
Monday morning, after she, Dom, and Mia had settled everything, Kate was officially employed. Dom was in the process of showing her around.   
  
"...And if you can't find the right tool in this garage, Ms. Kitty-Kate, you don't belong near a car." Brian, who had been working at the garage since his release, rolled his eyes. Apparently, Dom gave the same speech to every new employee, not that there was a new employee often. "Here is where you'll be painting cars."   
  
"You decide what you want, yet?" she asked.   
  
"Not yet."   
  
"Most people would have sold what was left as scrap. Why did you keep it?"   
  
"Me and my dad built her."   
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Just like the MacNeals, everyone on the Southern California racing scene had heard of the Torettos.   
  
"Don't worry about it."   
  
"You got a picture of it before the wreck? If you want I can restore the original paint job."   
  
"I thought just black was a waste of your talents," he returned the words she had used a few nights ago.   
  
"Not for something like this. And if you want, no cats. After all, this is pro bono, can't have everyone wanting to race me for a paint job," she allowed.   
  
"You sure?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"All right, I got a picture of it somewhere, I know. I'll look for it."   
  
"So, what now, boss?"   
  
"Now we get to work. You know how to change a clutch?" 


	6. chapter 5 - before i hit you from the bl...

Chapter Five  
Before I Hit You From the Blind Side   
  
"I'm goin' up to Harry's to order some parts. I'll see you guys in a bit," Dom called as he walked to his car. Just a few minutes after he left, a black Supra pulled up. Vince watched as Micheal Nolans got out of it.   
  
"What do you want?" Vince asked.   
  
"I would like for Kate to paint my car. Is she here? I need to tell her my specifications."   
  
"Yo, Kate!" he hollered into the shop. She came out, her eyes immediately narrowing when she saw Micheal.   
  
"What do you want?"   
  
"You, tied to my bed, while I'm-"   
  
"Try again."   
  
"I want my car painted with that paint that changes colors-"   
  
"Color-Change-Chameleon," she offered.   
  
"Yes, of course, that's it. The kind that has the most colors. And I want decals for everything in my car, I have a list, kitten, and I want them noticeable. Oh, and would you mind leaving off that godforsaken cat this once?"   
  
"No cat, no paint. And the size, position, and location of the cat is left to my discretion."   
  
"Very well, always have to have it your way. I want my usual details too." Micheal had previously had two paint jobs done by Kate, and used the same details each time. Kate could list the details and colors of every car she had every painted, so when a customer returned, she usually knew exactly what the person wanted. However, her amazing memory was limited only to painting her art.   
  
"Let me see the list," she held out her hand. Digging through his pocket, he found it and handed it to her. Kate looked it over, going from car to list and back. There's no way he has all this stuff in that car, she thought. But that was Micheal. "Ten thousand," she replied.   
  
"Ten thousand? I could find plenty of people who would be happy to do it for five."   
  
"Fine, go find 'em. But you and I both know what I'm worth. Anyone who does it for five won't do half the job I will, and they'll probably tack on a lot of other costs and you'd be paying them at least fifteen when the job's over. Ten thousand."   
  
"For what?"   
  
"That paint you want is one thousand dollars a half gallon, and I'll need two and a half to paint your car. Two to cover, and a half for touch ups. That's five. Then we got decals and details, that'll run about two. And there's always the fact that I'm painting, and I gotta strip and prime, so that's another two."   
  
"That's only nine thousand."   
  
"Well, today's your lucky day. Just for being the eternal ass that you are, I'm gonna charge you another thousand. There's your ten, take it or leave it."   
  
"All right, I'll take it."   
  
"Good. Give the money to Vince, here, then bring your car inside." Kate and Micheal were still going through their post bad breakup hatred, and Kate wanted to get this over with as quickly and painlessly as possible.   
  
"Check or cash?" he asked, looking disinterestedly at Vince.   
  
"I'll take cash from you," Vince said.   
  
"It's a good thing I came prepared for Katelynn's attitude," he said as he pulled out his wallet.   
  
"Yeah, good thing," she said, brushing him off. "Now give him the money."   
  
"You got this, Kate?" Vince asked as Nolans gave him the money. He did not want to let Nolans out of his sight. She nodded, and Vince went into the adjoining store to talk to Mia. Kate walked into the shop, with Nolans following behind her in his car. Once he was parked where she wanted him, he stepped out of the Supra.   
  
"Now, Micheal, go call a cab and leave."   
  
"Is that any way to treat an old friend and th-"   
  
"I don't care, Micheal, not any more than you do. Leave." He circled around her, looking her over before coming to a stop in front of her again. Then he slapped her.   
  
"Don't talk to me like that, you little bitch," he said as he grabbed her shoulders.   
  
-----   
  
Edwin pulled up to the shop and saw a girl push her way out of a guy's grasp. She backhanded him then, using the momentum and position from the backhand, she punched him in the jaw, knocking him backwards. Edwin decided it would be best to let Dom handle it and went into the store in search of him.   
  
"Hey, Edwin, you out already?" Letty asked.   
  
"Hey, Let, where's Dom?"   
  
"He's at Harry's, why?" Vince asked.   
  
"'Cause there's a redheaded chick in his garage kickin' the shit outta some guy." Upon hearing the news, Vince, Leon, and Brian ran through the door opening into the garage, followed by Edwin, Letty, and Mia.   
  
"...you think you were doing?" they caught a part of her tirade. "Don't ever touch me again. Now get off the floor and leave. Don't come back here ever again. When the car's done, I'll personally have it sent to you." When Micheal didn't move fast enough, she let go again. "Move your ass!" Micheal quickly gained his footing and stumbled from the semicircle that had formed and out of the garage. Noticing the bruise starting to appear on her face and the busted knuckles of her right hand, Vince took Kate's arm.   
  
"C'mon, kitten, let's get you cleaned up." He led her behind the counter, wet a washcloth, and got a few bandages out of the first aid kit. Sitting down across from her, he took her hand and started to clean her knuckles. "You're gonna have one hell of a bruise on your cheek. And with this hand, Dom's gonna be pissed."   
  
"Why would he be mad?"   
  
He stared at her for a moment before explaining. "You're a part of the team; you're in Dom's protective bubble. He doesn't like damaged goods. And the fact that Dom's newest enemy did this to you, well, it won't sit good." Kate was surprised. She had never heard Vince be this coherent, and he had definitely never been this nice.   
  
"Why are you doing this?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"Takin' care of me like this?"   
  
"Can't a body be a decent human being every once in a while?" He gave her a cheeky grin.   
  
She laughed, "Sure, V, sure."   
  
"Why is Nolans' car in my shop?" Dom's voice rumbled. "What happened to you?" he asked, noticing Kate and Vince.   
  
"Ah, I'm painting Michael's car -- Vince has the money. And Micheal slapped me, so I hit him," she said it like it was a regular occurrence.   
  
"Actually, she hit him twice," Edwin popped in.   
  
"Win, man, they let you out so soon?" Dom asked.   
  
"Can't a brotha be free without you people askin' him why he ain't in jail?"   
  
"No, it's just I'm surprised. It's good to see you. Edwin, this is Nathan's sister, Kate MacNeal. Kate, this is my friend Edwin, who has been incarcerated recently."   
  
"Kate MacNeal? Dom, dude, what did you do to get Kate in here working for you?" he asked excitedly before turning his attention to Kate. He grabbed her free hand and shook it awkwardly while trying to maintain some degree of smoothness. "I'm Edwin, you ever need anything you just call me. Let me give you my number." He searched his pockets briefly. "Damn, I ain't got no pen. Ah well, you can just get it from the big guy here." He looked Dom straight in the eye, "Dude, make sure you give her my number," and patted his arm.   
  
"So, Nolans did this to you? Why you painting his car? I'd trash it and send it back to him," Dom suggested, shaking off Edwin.   
  
"Well, I already had him pay Vince, and despite the owner, I want to paint it. If he comes back here, I'll just kick his ass."   
  
Dom shot an incredulous glance, "How much?"   
  
"Nine for the job, plus an extra one for prick handling fees. Where do I have to go for paint around here? Can I get it from Harry?"   
  
-----   
  
Dom lifted the hood of the Supra.   
  
"Jess," he called. Jesse wheeled himself into the garage.   
  
"Yeah, Dom?"   
  
"Let's have a look at this engine."   
  
"I thought it was just getting painted. You know, Kate is really great at painting cars. The way she works the airbrush... Why we lookin' at the motor?"   
  
"I wanna have a look." Jesse pulled up to the bumper and leaned over as far as he could in his chair. He rattled off a list of parts to Dominic.   
  
"Something weird is going on," Jesse said more to himself than Dom.   
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
"I mean, if he had all this while he was racin', he should've beaten you and Kate, so, since he didn't beat you, that would make this new. But there's dirt and grease everywhere, so that says he ain't very clean and he's had it all for a while. And that would say that maybe he doesn't know what he's doing, but then he knows enough to know that he needs all to win. But then maybe his mechanic put it in for him, but that still don't explain why everything's so dirty and why he hasn't used all this crap like it should be used. It's like he doesn't know what he's doing, but he does."   
  
Dom took a few minutes to absorb all this information. His synapses started firing away, trying to decipher Jesse's reply. After years of knowing Jesse, Dom could understand his sometimes muddled thoughts and sentences better than anyone else on the team, except for maybe Leon. Engines usually did something to Jesse that clarified his thoughts, but not always. Once Dom got the gist of it, he reiterated.   
  
"So you're telling me that Nolans is better than he's letting on? He's not as dumb as he looks?" Jesse nodded. "Hustlin' maybe?"   
  
"Yeah, sure ... maybe not." Dom considered throwing a wrench into the engine, literally, and making sure that it would cost Nolans another twenty-thousand dollars to race, but it wasn't his style. Even though he wanted some kind of revenge for Kate, he decided to let the hits she got in earlier count. Dom realized that she was just as tough as she looked. She was feisty. 


	7. chapter 6 - willin' to turn

Author's note: The song used in this chapter is "Lucky For You" by SheDaisy.  
  
  
Chapter Six  
Willin' to Turn   
  
Leon and Vince stood at the front of Nolans' car, each thinking about the outline that had been drawn with a dry erase marker on the hood. As soon as Kate had made her way back from her paint ordering trip to Harry's, she had stripped, primed, and laid the groundwork for the cat. She would paint over the sketch with the base color, but she had said it made her feel better to see it drawn on the car. And, she had said, it meant that she could have fun drawing it twice. A little revenge, she promised.   
  
"Is she really gonna put that on his car?" Leon drawled, using his lips and tongue to play with his toothpick.   
  
"I think she is," Vince responded.   
  
"It really is good, you know, even if it is a little..." He let the sentence trail, the right words eluding his mind.   
  
"Uh huh," Vince agreed. "It definitely is."   
  
"I'd hate to have to drive that around when she gets finished with it. Can you imagine the looks you'd get?"   
  
"Remind me never to have her paint my car when she's mad at me."   
  
"Only if you remind me."   
  
-----   
  
Kate sat on the table in the cold white room and remarked to herself how the examining room was in shock. If she had to stay much longer, she would have to paint it. It just bothered her, being so empty and...white. The paper dress that she had been wearing earlier was enthusiastically dumped into the trash can as she pulled her real clothes on. Now she was waiting for the doctor to come back and tell her everything was. Just as she decided to lay down and close her eyes, the door swung open and a woman with graying hair appeared.   
  
"Well, Kate, everything seems fine, dear. Everything's normal, but there's still a test or two that's out. I don't think they'll show anything though," the genial doctor replied. "Now, I tell this to everyone, but that doesn't mean you can avoid it: get more rest. I don't care if it's thirty minutes under a car on one of those trolley things, get it."   
  
"My racing isn't going to have any affect on this, is it? I mean, would it stress me too much or somethin'?"   
  
"Racing won't have any affect unless you crash, and that has an affect on everybody. I really wish you wouldn't. You know, I started out in the ER, and I've seen too many people torn up in a crash going sixty. It's really not worth it. But if you ever feel like you shouldn't race, don't.   
  
"And I shouldn't have to tell you this, but getting into fights isn't good. You should know that, Kate," Dr. Morgan admonished, looking over her slightly swollen knuckles and bruised cheek.   
  
"I promise you, it was self defense," Kate explained. "I didn't want to do it, I wasn't expecting it, but I have the right to hit a guy who should know better."   
  
"Walk away if possible. Okay, I've gotten my sermon out of the way. Now, you're free to leave." Kate hurried out of the doctor's office, trying not to seem to eager to leave. She was relieved when she was out on the road, making her way back to the shop. She turned her stereo up and started singing loudly, and badly, to the song that was playing.   
  
"You always said that I have multiple personalities, and I bounce around somewhere between my dreams and reality. So where'd you dig up the audacity to ask meee how we've all been doin' since you broke our hearts? Well, so far...   
  
"Number five just cries a river minute. Seven wants to tie you up and drown you in it, yeah. Fourteen just wants to say so long, bygones. Thirty-two wants to do things to you that'll make you blush. Ten will key the El Camino that you love so much. And there ain't nobody wants mess with twenty-three. Oh-oh-oh lucky for you, tonight I'm just me. Ye-a-ye-a-ye-a-ah.   
  
"I guess this part is more than your new Barbie bargained for. She's got you by the sleeve, slowly easin' towards the door. She's probably right, you should be movin' on. Who knows how long we can behave. Better have the valet get your car, 'cause you know how women are."   
  
As she was going into the chorus a second time, a carload of teenage boys pulled up beside her at the light that she was waiting to change. The boy on the passenger side rolled his window down and motioned for her to do the same. Kate turned the radio off before rolling hers down.   
  
"What's a sweet girl like you doin' with all that horsepower under you?" he asked.   
  
"Waitin' for a man who can give me a better ride," she smiled at him. The car was filled with oooh's from the passengers.   
  
"My friend wants to race. He thinks he can beat you to the next light." Kate looked down towards the intersection and back at the boys. "On green?" She didn't respond, but gripped the steering wheel. She revved her engine, trying to intimidate the boys. There was no way they could beat her. From the sound of their motor, hers was more powerful. Besides, there was at least eight hundred pounds of guys in the car.   
  
When the light turned green, the boys' tires squealed as they shot forward. Kate simply turned right. The shop was just two block down the street she had turned on, and Kate knew better than to risk a race in daylight on an open and possibly busy street.   
  
"Boys," she sighed. Pulling into the garage, she cut the engine and laughed. "Boys are dumb." Kate climbed from her car and entered in search of Dom. "I'm back," she said as she found him, working under a car. His legs were sticking out from under it, and she could hear the clang of a tool as it struck the ground.   
  
"Everything okay?" he asked. Kate had informed him of her checkup previously, and Dom was glad to have her back at the shop. Hector had dropped off a car that he wanted detailed.   
  
"Yeah, everything's fine."   
  
"Good. You got Hector's Firebird waiting on you. He said you'd know what he wants."   
  
"I do. He called me last night and told me he'd bring it by today. He just wants some minor stuff done." Dom blinked in surprise.   
  
"He already has your number?" First Edwin was trying to move in, now Hector.   
  
"Well, yeah. It was Nate's when he got it, but I guess it's mine too." Dom nodded as if Kate could see him, then mentally shook himself. Of course Hector would have Nate's number. 


	8. chapter 7 - let you get a peek

Chapter Seven  
Let You Get a Peek   
  
Dominic looked at his watch. It was late and everyone else had already gone home but him and Kate. He was working extremely hard to finish the car, and all it needed was an oil change to be complete. However, his hands were too big to loosen the plug holding the oil in the pan. He looked over at Kate and got an idea. She was putting the finishing touches on a car that had been brought in last week, wearing baggy blue jeans, an old white tank top, and a green apron that was stained with paint.   
  
"Yo, Kate, can you come here for a sec?" She stood and turned to him, wiping her forehead with a weary hand. She set the airbrush down.   
  
"What d'ya need, Dom?" she asked, walking towards the car.   
  
"I need you to get under here and drop the oil plug. I can't reach, it's too small in there." She crawled under the car next to him, brushing his shoulder with hers, and quickly found the bolt, twisting the wrench until the plug was loose enough to be unscrewed by hand. As soon as it was off, Dom was ready with another pan to catch the oil but did not get there quickly enough. Some of the oil splashed down Kate's arm, and she turned her head just before she got a face full of the black mess. Once the pan was in place they both slid from under the car and sat waiting for the oil to drain.   
  
"It has been so long since I've been covered in oil," she stated.   
  
"Whatsa matter, you not gettin' grease shy on me now are ya?"   
  
"Hell, no. Just making an observation." Dom looked at her for a few minutes, before bringing his face in closer to hers. His personal observation was that she was sexy as hell when she was all sweaty and greasy. Maybe it was years of working on cars, but seeing her doused in oil was hot. She looked away, trying to reject him but allow him to keep his pride. "How's that oil comin'?" He sighed, giving up for that moment.   
  
"It's comin'." They sat on the floor of the shop in silence until the office phone rang. Dom pulled himself up and went in to answer it. "Yeah?" he asked.   
  
"Hey, Dom, it's Nathan. Is Kate around?"   
  
"Yeah, hold on." He walked back into the garage. "It's, Nathan, he wants to talk to you."   
  
"Lovely," she said as she passed him. "Hey, Nate."   
  
"Dad's been calling. He's riding my ass because you aren't home. It's after nine, Kate, I'm with him. You should be home."   
  
"Nate, I feel fine. I'm not doing anything strenuous, really. I'm just finishing and helping Dom change the oil on a car."   
  
"Look, Kate, I really think you should take it easy. I know you aren't doing anything hard, but your pushin' yourself a lot more than you should. You're always working and you're not getting much sleep. Kitty-Kate, you have to take better care of yourself."   
  
"I'm not an invalid, Nathan. The doctor said I could do this."   
  
"I don't want to argue with you. If you're not home in thirty minutes, I'm coming to pick you up." The MacNeals were a stubborn family, and if Nathan hadn't been right, Kate would have argued with him until dawn. However, he was right, and Kate was tired, though she'd never let him know that.   
  
"All right, fine. I'll be home soon." Dom looked up as she left the office and walked to her paints, grumbling about brothers and fathers.   
  
"Why don't we call it a night, and I'll put some oil in this car first thing in the morning," he suggested. After closing the shop, they walked outside together. "Shit," Dom said under his breath.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Mia's car isn't runnin', so she's taking mine to class until I get hers fixed." Mia had graduated from college while Brian was in prison, and continued on to graduate school.   
  
"You know, Dom, we live next door. You can always bum a ride with me."   
  
"Do I get to drive your sweet beast?" he asked, his face lighting up.   
  
"You, drive my car? Ha! Just enjoy the ride and know that you have had the good fortune and privilege of riding in my car." They got in the car, and Dom worked on his best "puppy eyes" while she put the keys in the ignition. Almost as if she was feeling the weight of his stare, she turned to look at him.   
  
"Oh, pack it in. Don't look at me like that." He made his expression a little sadder. Kate looked forward and reached for the keys again, but stopped short and turned to him. "I mean it, Dom, you don't quit that, I'll leave you here." Trying to out stare him, she faced him for a few moments. "All right, have it your way. Get over here." Dom's face broke into boyish grin that seemed to melt away ten years from him as he got out of the car and walked to the driver's side. Kate walked around to the passenger's side, and huffed as she sat down. "Can't believe I'm letting you drive my car. Hey, take it easy," she said as he sped out of the parking lot.   
  
"What? I've seen you drive, Kate, you're much worse than this."   
  
"This is my car, I only trust me to drive it. Keep it under sixty."   
  
"You're killin' me here, just killin' me." A few minutes later, Dom pulled into Kate's driveway. Kate was surprised when he walked her to the door.   
  
"Did we just have a date that I wasn't aware of?" she asked with a playful smile.   
  
"Just thought I'd be a gentleman and make sure you got in okay." She opened the door a crack.   
  
"Well, I'm almost in, but who's gonna make sure you get in okay? Who knows what big bogeymen are waiting for you to be without my protection?" she teased.   
  
"I'll manage," he said as he took a sly step closer to her. He leaned forward again, his eyes focused on her lips, and just as his lips brushed hers, she pulled away.   
  
"What are you doing?" she asked quietly.   
  
"I was trying to kiss you," he answered in the same tone.   
  
"I can't do this. I'm sorry." She moved to walk inside, but he grabbed her arm.   
  
"What's wrong?"   
  
"I just, I can't."   
  
"Sure ya can. It's just us, here, now, alone. We can do anything we want."   
  
"No, we can't, Dom. I can't do this. Everything is just so messed up right now, if you really knew me, you wouldn't want this."   
  
"Then let me know you, the real you, tell me."   
  
"I can't tell you right now," her voice dropped.   
  
"If you don't tell me, then I'll keep thinking this is the real you. And I like this you. I'm sure I'd like you anyway I could have you."   
  
"Things change so fast, Dom. You'd be surprised." Dom put his hands up in mock surrender. He knew how to seduce women, and knew to just give her a small push at first to plant the idea in her head.   
  
"Okay, fine." Kate realized how heavily she had been leaning against the door knob as she nearly fell when the front door opened.   
  
"Kate, you okay?" Nathan asked, watching as she regained her balance. He put a hand on the small of her back to steady her.   
  
"Umm, yeah. Bye, Dom." She quickly hurried past her brother and went inside.   
  
"Hey, man," Dom said to Nathan, "I'm having a cook out this Saturday."   
  
"I'll be there," Nate said. He had been to Dom's barbecues before and knew better than to miss one. Mia could really cook, and Dom could really stand watch over the grill.   
  
"Bring Kate too."   
  
"No promises. The girl has a mind of her own."   
  
"Bring her." 


	9. chapter 8 - with my family and friends

Chapter Eight  
With My Family and Friends   
  
"And you're sure I have to come?" Kate asked, practically whining. She really didn't want to have to go over to the Dom's and Mia's house.   
  
"Yes, I'm quite sure he had you in mind when he said 'bring her.'"   
  
"Was he expecting you to go Neanderthal if I didn't want to come?"   
  
"Look, Kate," Nathan said on an exasperated sigh, "Dom likes you, I can tell-"   
  
"That's the problem, he likes me. I can't be with him."   
  
"If you would just tell him, you could."   
  
"He wouldn't want me if he knew."   
  
"Wasn't that the problem, him wanting you? If you told him, problem solved." Nathan thrilled at the fact that he had her. It didn't happen often, so whenever it happened was cause for celebration.   
  
"You know what I mean. Listen, I'll tell him soon. I mean, he'll have to know soon. I don't have a choice. Just let me continue being normal for a little while longer."   
  
"Fine, fine, you ready?" Kate nodded and they both walked over to Dom's house, heading straight to the back.   
  
"Mia!" Dom yelled, then spotted Kate and Nathan. "Oh, hey guys," he said to them.   
  
"What d'ya need, Dom?" Mia stuck her head out the door and asked.   
  
"We need more beer."   
  
"That's all there is."   
  
"Could you go get some more?" Dom asked.   
  
"What do I look like, a gopher? Send Vince or Leon. Kate, come in here and help. Don't think you can stand around out there all day not doing anything." In the month that Kate had been in LA, she had been assimilated into the patchwork family. As she walked into the kitchen, she heard Leon complaining sarcastically.   
  
"I'm so glad she thinks I look like a gopher. My life is now complete."   
  
"What can I do?"   
  
"Can you make potato salad?"   
  
"Like you wouldn't believe."   
  
"Get to it."  
  
Kate started around the kitchen, grabbing the boiled potatoes and eggs, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, onion, and a bowl. Carefully eyeballing the ingredients, she set to work mixing and tasting until she got the right flavor.   
  
"What do you think, Mia?" she asked, holding a spoonful out to her. Mia tried it and considered it for a moment.   
  
"Okay, from now on, potato salad is your official barbecue duty." Before any other words could be said, Brian popped his head in the door.   
  
"Dom wants to know if you ladies are about finished in here. We're ready to eat."   
  
"Yeah, we're comin'."   
  
Letty, Mia, and Kate walked outside with the side dishes just as Dom sat a plateful of chicken on the picnic table. The girls laid the food out on the table. Leon had gotten back from the store a few minutes earlier. Vince and Brian sat across from each other and tipped their beer bottles towards one another. After Brian pulled Vince off the semi, they had become friends, especially since they had a lot of time together in prison. However, Vince still had bouts of jealousy when it came to Mia.   
  
"All right, all right, since this is the first cook out we've had since Brian's been outta prison, he gets to say the prayer," Dom announced.   
  
"Okay. Umm, dear Lord, we thank you for letting us all be able to come together today. Thank you for wonderful friends and family, and, uh, thank you for this food. And a special thanks from me for Mia," he mumbled the last part quickly so no one but God could understand it and gibe him for it. "Amen." A chorus of amens reverberated around the table. "Let's eat."   
  
-----   
  
After a raucous meal, everyone filtered into the house to watch a movie. Kate started to feel a little nauseous before Mia and Brian had even finished the dishes, so she went outside to get some air. Settling on the porch swing, her eyes closed for a moment, and she was startled as another person sat down next to her.   
  
"You feelin' okay? You look a little sick," Letty said.   
  
"Yeah, I'm good. It was just kinda stuffy in there."   
  
"So tell me, you like Dom?" Kate knew Letty well enough to know that she always got straight to the point.   
  
"How do you mean?"   
  
"Don't play dumb with me. It doesn't suit you."   
  
"Yeah, I like him."   
  
"So why are you pushin' him away?" Kate sat quietly, reflecting before she decided what to say next.   
  
"Why did you and Dom break up?"   
  
After a deep, audible breath, Letty answered. "I don't always know the answer to that. Sometimes I look at him and want to be back with him, and I forget why we broke up in the first place. But, I guess, I loved him for as long as I could, and he just put me through so much shit that I couldn't love him like that anymore. I lost me in him. I wasn't Letty anymore, I was Dom's girl."   
  
"What did he put you through?"   
  
"You know what the races are like, all those cheap tricks walking around, givin' it to anyone who would take it. Dom is a favorite of theirs because he wins a lot. Dom also took a lot. Most of the time I don't even think he realized that they didn't want him because they liked him, but because of what he could do for them. Getting with him elevated their status or somethin', gave them some kind of validation. It wasn't often, but I couldn't take it.   
  
"And since we broke up, I don't think he's been with a single girl. I think he finally woke up. Four months, that's like a record for him -- except for when he was in Lompoc.   
  
"But don't get me wrong, it's not all bad. When it's good, it's very good. When you're together, you're his princess. He'll still hang around with those racer skank ho's, but they don't matter to him. He just gives them as much attention as everyone else. He's good like that; he has a heart under all those defenses." She looked away to gather herself before continuing.   
  
"We grew up together, and you know boys never actually grow up," she joked. "Look at Vince, he's been like this since I've known him. But Dom has matured a lot," she continued in a more serious tone. "I think he's completely grown up now. And now he's interested in you."   
  
"Are you giving me the okay to get with him?"   
  
"When I first saw you two together, I got jealous. Dom's my first love, and I'll always love him. I spent eight years of my life with him, and more than that wanting him, how could I not love him? But, I don't love him like I used to. I want to see him happy, and you could make him happy. So, back to my question, why are you pushin' him away?"   
  
"I broke up with Micheal two months ago, and I'm not ready to go at it again."   
  
"Okay, I understand that. But when you are ready, if you break his heart, I'll break your neck," she said as friendly as possible.   
  
"I'll keep that in mind." That sat in silence for a few moments.   
  
"Does your brother have a girlfriend?" Letty asked.   
  
"Why?"   
  
"He's kinda cute." Kate laughed.   
  
"No, my brother's single."   
  
"Good." Letty got up and headed back into the house with a small wave.   
  
-----   
  
Dom walked out onto the back porch and saw Kate asleep on the swing. The sun had already set and he noticed a chill in the air. Returning inside momentarily, he went to the hall closet and retrieved a light blanket. He came back out and tried to wrap the blanket around Kate without waking her. Nathan had said something about Kate not sleeping well, and Dom didn't want to disturb her now that it looked as if she was getting rest. As he turned to leave, he realized that he had indeed awakened Kate.   
  
"Dom?" her soft voice called out to him. "Oh, God, it's already dark. What time is it?"   
  
"After eight," he said as he sat down on the swing, next to Kate.   
  
"I didn't mean to fall asleep. I just came out for some air."   
  
After a stretch of silence, Dom said, "So I've been tryin' to figure out why you pulled away from me the other night-"   
  
"Dom, I already told you."   
  
"No, you didn't, you never gave me an actual answer. Anyway, I've been tryin' to figure it out, and all I can come up with is that Nolans musta done something to you. And since he hit you last week, I'll bet that's what it is. You know, not all guys are like that, Kitty-Kate," he said sincerely.   
  
"That's not what it is."   
  
"It's not?" He looked as if he didn't believe her.   
  
"No, Micheal's just an all around dick, but that's not why I pulled away. Can I call in my favor now?" she seemed to switch subjects.   
  
"Sure, I guess. Anything you want, if I remember correctly."   
  
"Can you just let me be for a little while? Can you do that for me? I think you're really great, and I don't want to have to dread seeing you because I'm tired of you hittin' on me." Her voice remained soft through the small speech, letting him know that she wasn't mad at him. "Just give me some time to be single, as a favor."   
  
"Yeah, I can do that." He didn't want to; he felt as if he would be letting a great opportunity slide by him, and that was a feeling he never liked. But he had promised her anything.   
  
"So, did you ever find that picture of the Charger?"   
  
"Yeah. Yeah, I'll bring it to the shop Monday."   
  
"I was thinkin' that maybe I could paint your car here. I kinda wanna be alone with it." Dom just quirked an eyebrow. 


	10. chapter 9 - still hard to please, boss

Chapter Nine  
Still Hard to Please, Boss   
  
"Hey, Nate, can you bring my stuff up here?... No, my stuff," Kate stressed over the phone. "I forgot to take it before I left... Yeah, and the one for nausea too... No, I haven't... Well, it's not like, 'Hey, Dom, guess what!'" Dom's ears perked up when he heard his name. He noticed Kate talking on her cell phone in the corner of the shop, trying to be quiet. "I'll tell him, don't worry... Yes, before it's obvious. Can you bring it by soon?" her voice dropped down lower as she asked. "Okay, see ya. Bye." She hung up the phone and dropped it into the pocket of her green apron.   
  
"Nate coming by?" he asked.   
  
"Yeah, in a few minutes." When Nate arrived fifteen minutes later, Dom watched him and Kate closely. There was something going on, and he wanted to know. His suspicions were confirmed when they broke from their hug and Nathan slipped something into Kate's hand. She hurried past Dom and into the bathroom.   
  
"Hey, Dom, I need your opinion about a car I'm working on." Nathan was a designer for Dodge who worked at his home and sent his work into the main office. It wasn't unusual for Nathan to ask Dom or another racer for advice about the frame or body of a car.   
  
"Yeah, sure, hold on a sec." Dom went to the bathroom. "Kate, let me in," he said through the door.   
  
"Dom, I'm kinda busy at the moment," the strained words came, followed by retching. It wasn't the first time he had heard Kate puking at the shop. Dom tried the knob, and to his luck, it wasn't locked. Stepping through, he closed the door behind him.   
  
"All right, Kate, you gotta tell me what's wrong? You sick or somethin'?" he asked as soon as she stood up and washed her mouth out.   
  
"Something like that," she mumbled. She went to grab one of the various pills laying on the counter, but Dom picked them up.   
  
"What's all this?"   
  
"Please give them back to me. They aren't anything you have to worry about."   
  
"Like hell they're not," he said in a low, even tone. "I hear you getting sick in here everyday, Nathan tells me you're not sleepin' well, and now I find you in here with pills. Are you on drugs or somethin'? Kate, you're too good for that shit."   
  
"I'm pregnant," she said quietly.   
  
"What?"   
  
"I'm pregnant." Her voice began to steadily rise. "That's why I'm sick, that's why I'm supposed to take those pills, that's why Micheal and I broke up, that's why I won't go out with you. Happy?"   
  
"That's why you and Micheal broke up, what?"   
  
"Yeah, that's why. I get pregnant and he tells me to kill it or get out. Let me tell you something, Dom, my mother was so sick when she was pregnant with me that the doctors told her to have an abortion. They said she might not survive the labor. And they were right. I'm not about to dishonor her sacrifice by getting an abortion because my boyfriend doesn't want it. So I left and came here."   
  
"And you won't go out with me because of it?"   
  
"That's right. I got too much to worry about now. If it was just me, I'd be willing, but I gotta look out for another person now. And it's not like you'd want a girl who was pregnant with another man's baby, anyway." She took the pills from him and walked into the store half, leaving Dom in the bathroom. Grabbing a bottle of water, she quickly downed them. She sat down on a stool near the counter, and rested her head in one hand, fighting off another wave of nausea.   
  
"You okay, Kate?" Mia asked, noticing her distress.   
  
"You're brother's an ass," was her only response.   
  
"Honey, I already knew that," she said, patting Kate's hand. The bell on the door rang, and an older man in a cheap suit walked into the store.   
  
"I'm looking for Brian O'Conner," he said to Mia.   
  
"Yeah, hold on a minute." She walked into the shop and quickly found Brian standing with Dom, Vince, Leon, Letty, Jesse, and Nathan. They were perched over the hood of a car, and Nathan was explaining and drawing on plans for one of his designs. Normally these designs were done on a computer, but Nathan liked a drawn hard copy in addition to the file.   
  
"So, if this was an actual car and it had the right engine and Nos, would you race it?" he asked them.   
  
"You could race it, yeah," Leon said, "but the whole thing's too heavy. It'd be hard to win with it."   
  
"Aluminum is too soft for the frame, but titanium is too expensive. Steel is the only option. The frame's the heavies part, and I don't think we can get the weight down. The body is light as it can be."   
  
"Could you cut the steel with titanium?" Letty asked.   
  
"Maybe. It might work out. What about the body? Any suggestion for the design?"   
  
"I'd say slim the fenders, buff the corners, and add a wing to help with the air flow. If the car's gonna be heavy, it needs all the help it can get," Dom offered as Nathan made changes and wrote notes on the paper.   
  
"What's the engine gonna be?" Jesse asked.   
  
Nathan's reply of, "Factory standard," was met with groans. "Hey, don't blame me. I'm only a designer. You want something else, you're gonna have to put it in yourself or special order from the dealer."   
  
"Brian, someone's here to see you," Mia broke up their conversation. "He's in the store." As he left, she grabbed Dom's arm and pulled him off to the side. "Whatever you did to that girl, you need to apologize for it." She saw him open his mouth, but cut him off. "Dominic Raphael Toretto, I don't want to hear it. You need to be talking to Kate, not me." She turned and walked back to the store. Dominic followed her and walked into the store just in time to see a stunned Brian shaking hands with a man on his way out of the store. When Brian turned around, he looked a little lost before his eyes fixed upon Dom.   
  
"We need to talk now." He walked straight to Dom's office and waited for Dom to come. Once the door was closed, he began talking in hushed tones. "That was Sergeant Tanner. I worked with him on your case. He says that the cop who pulled us over a few weeks ago positively ID'd us. Now LAPD is reopening a file on you. They went snoopin' around Harry's and found a racer who's willin' to turn over state's to keep from going to jail on grand theft auto. They're waiting for the person to see you do something. They think you'll start up with the jackings or something again. Tanner doesn't know who it is. He said it could be someone you're friends with now or someone you don't even know. They don't want to get you just on racing, they want something big," Brian said in one breath. "Dom, those semi jobs really pissed someone off."   
  
Dom turned around and rubbed his head. Shit, this cannot happen now, he thought. His life was finally coming together again; he didn't need this.   
  
"We've got to go to Mexico," he told himself.   
  
"What?" Dom turned back around.   
  
"We've either gotta find out who's the narc or go to Mexico."   
  
"Dom, we don't have any idea who could be doing this, and we don't have enough money to just pack up and go to Mexico," Brian tried to reason with him. "The only thing we can do is keep you outta trouble." Dom walked to the door and threw it open.   
  
"Kate!" he yelled. A few minutes later she was in the office. He closed the door again. "Tell me about Nolans," he said before she had a chance to take a breath.   
  
"What about him?"   
  
"How's his driving?"   
  
"I told you, he can't beat me or you. I thought that was a proven fact at the race."   
  
"Jess tells me with what he's runnin' under his hood, he could beat us both."   
  
"Whatever's in his car is there because he wants the best, not because he knows how to use it."   
  
"You're sure?"   
  
"Yeah, why?" Kate, still angry from their earlier encounter, was getting a bit peeved.   
  
"You positive he ain't up to somethin'?"   
  
"Like what?"   
  
"At first I thought he was hustlin'. With Race Wars in two months, he could make a lot of money if people thought they were racing a slow car."   
  
"I wouldn't put it past him. But I really don't think he knows the capabilities of his car."   
  
"Why's that?"   
  
"He's a kid with daddy's money. He barely knows what he's doing."   
  
"Has he ever stolen a car?" The question snapped Kate's attention.   
  
"I was there when he bought the Supra. It's not stolen."   
  
"That's not what I asked," Seeing Kate's reaction, Dom knew he was onto something.   
  
"Yeah," she said after a brief hesitation. "Once, when he was twenty-two he got bored and stole someone's Ferrari. He got away with it, and he hasn't done it but that one time."   
  
"Have you ever stolen a car?" he asked a little suspiciously.   
  
"I was with Micheal when he took the Ferrari, but I just drove his car. I didn't even know what he was doing."   
  
"What about Nathan?"   
  
"Nate's got a lot of values that he won't cross for anything. He won't steal a car. Why are you asking me this?" Dom regarded her silently for a few minutes. She was with Nolans when he stole the car, but would that make her guilty of grand theft?   
  
"Brian," he began, "would she get a GTA?"   
  
"No, she's an accessory to it, but she didn't steal the car. Dom nodded, silently agreeing to something, and thought for a few more seconds.   
  
"The cops have got some racer watching me, someone who could go down for grand theft auto. They're trying to get something on me. I need to know if Nolans would ever work for them if they threatened prison."   
  
"It wouldn't matter. His father would get him out of it, that's how he got out of it the first time. Mr. Nolans bought Micheal's freedom before it ever went to trial."   
  
"And you know for a fact that he wouldn't be narcing?"   
  
"Micheal didn't give me up to the cops, and he had plenty of chances to. He's an asshole and generally horrible person, but he wouldn't do this." Dom still wasn't satisfied. He wanted to rule out all his enemies and racers he didn't know before he turned to his friends. Edwin and Leon had both stolen cars when they were kids and gotten away with it. He was sure it wasn't Leon. However, he didn't know Edwin as well as he knew his team. The more he thought about it, the more he became paranoid that Edwin getting out early wasn't happenstance. 


	11. chapter 10 - don't wind up on the flat l...

Kate sat in the car, waiting for Dom, Brian, and Vince, and wondering what she was doing. Dom wanted proof that Micheal wasn't working with the cops. Since she was going to have his car dropped off today, and Dom insisted on a personal investigation, she thought she'd kill two birds with one stone. Besides, someone had to be there to keep Dom and Vince from killing Micheal, and she didn't think Brian could handle both tempers on his own. Brian waved as he and Vince got into one car and Dom got into the Supra with Kate. She led the way to Micheal's house.  
  
  
  
"Kate, listen," Dom said after miles of silence, "I want to apologize about this morning. I had no right to barge in like that and accuse you of taking drugs."  
  
  
  
"You are absolutely correct, you had no right."  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry that it happened, but I was worried about you. You know, I care about you, and I don't want to see you get hurt." She didn't say anything else, and Dom was starting to wish that he had ridden in the other car. There was no sound other than the car for at least thirty minutes, and it was starting to wear on him. "So, how about I take you out to dinner to apologize properly."  
  
  
  
"Jesus, you just don't give up do you?" Kate finally snapped. "I told you, I have to worry about another person now, I can't have a boyfriend. And you agreed to let me be single for a little while."  
  
  
  
"Whoa, kitten, all I'm askin' for is dinner. And besides, there was no time specification on that 'little while'." Dom knew he was dropping his end of the bargain, but he figured that her pregnancy was the major obstacle keeping them apart. Now that the secret was out of the way, maybe she would change her mind.  
  
  
  
"You can't tell me that after dinner you'll stop trying to get me to go out with you, that you'll be satisfied."  
  
  
  
"What harm would there be in me and you going out? I talked to Letty and she said she gave you the all clear, so you can't be afraid of pissing her off, though I doubt you'd be afraid anyway. Mia likes you, so my sister's outta the way. All my friends like you, your brother likes me, so what's the problem?"  
  
  
  
"Okay, let's say we go on a date," she began. "And let's say that things go well and we start going out. We're even together after the baby is born. My child will get attached to you. That's what babies and children do. So, my kid starts loving you, and then we break up. What is my baby gonna do? You can break my heart, I'll survive, but one or two years old is too young for a broken heart, Dom. I'm not gonna risk it."  
  
  
  
Dom sighed through his nose and tried to clear his head. She brought up some very valid points. "Look, if we do break up, I'll still live next door. I'm not ready to be a daddy yet, but if you're kid is as charming as you," he said dryly, "I'm sure we'll get along just fine. If we never go out, I'll be Uncle Dom, and if we do go out and break up, I'll be Uncle Dom. You can't get rid of me," he smiled at her, "so you might as well focus on your happy. Besides, if momma's happy, it's good for the baby." He dropped his voice down to a seductive tone, "And I can make momma very happy." Dom thought he had her when he saw the corners of her mouth lift into a suppressed smile, but her outburst of laughter took him by surprise. He was beginning to feel a little annoyed when her laughs had still not died down a few minutes later. Kate forced her mouth closed as giggles still bubbled up, causing her body to shake. A few times, Dom thought he was going to have to reach over and take the wheel as she tried to calm down.  
  
  
  
"Oh-oh my gosh, I am sooo sorry, but that was sooo corny," she giggled again. "Well, one thing's for sure, you can make momma laugh," Kate tried to hold on to her calm by taking deep breaths, but she caught a glance of Dom looking huffy out of the corner of her eye. A few minutes later, when Kate was somewhat sure she wasn't going to laugh again, she realized that she had a smile on her face that wouldn't go away. "Thank you."  
  
  
  
"For what? For being something that you can laugh at?" Dom crossed his arms over his expansive chest. He had made an earnest attempt at a pick up, and she laughed at him. At Dominic Raphael Toretto. The king of the underground racing world. She laughed.  
  
  
  
"No, don't you see? You actually made me happy. You said you would, and even though it wasn't in the context that you had planned, you made me happy. I think I actually pulled a muscle in my neck from laughing so hard. And I'm happy, for this moment right now, I'm happy."  
  
  
  
"Well, I'm sure my pride can take a hit if it means that much to you," he conceded.  
  
  
  
"So, where are you taking me?"  
  
  
  
"Huh?"  
  
  
  
"Don't tell me you forgot already. You promised dinner. When and where?"  
  
  
  
"There's this little Mexican restaurant that's really good. You like Mexican food?"  
  
  
  
"Love it."  
  
  
  
"I can take you out tomorrow if you'd like."  
  
  
  
"Wonderful. Pick me up at seven."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
The light mood in the car darkened as they entered Nolans' driveway. Dom stared up at the house looming against the dark sky. Kate used the garage door remote she had found in the Supra to open the door. Parking the car inside, she and Dom stepped out and walked to the front of the house where they were joined by Vince and Brian. As they waited for Micheal to answer the bell, Kate turned to the men.  
  
  
  
"Now remember, let me do this. You guys just stand there and look intimidating." Vince glowered, not pleased with the way this was being set up. "There ya go." She patted his shoulder. The door opened revealing a half-dressed Micheal.  
  
  
  
"My car in the garage?" he asked.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, we need to talk." She pushed past him and into his house. Micheal became noticeably uncomfortable when the three men followed Kate inside, with Dom shooting a threatening look at him as he passed. He was still upset over the fact that Nolans had hit Kate.  
  
  
  
"Well, just come right on in then," Micheal said to their backs. When he walked into the living room, he sat down on the couch and quickly realized his mistake. He was the only one seated, and Kate had taken a stance before him so she could look down on him, hands on her hips.  
  
  
  
"You have to listen to me," she began. "I have three guys standing behind me who would like nothing more than to kill you right now, and I'm the only thing stopping them. You're answers are very important to your well-being. You understand me?" He nodded. "You workin' for the cops?"  
  
  
  
"What? Workin' for the cops? Your baby hormones must be making you insane. Why would I work for the bloody cops?" His accent shrilled as he got worked up.  
  
  
  
"No cops have approached you about that Ferrari you stole from that arrogant bastard two years back?"  
  
  
  
"No, why would they? It's over. Unless you've been starting things up again. Have you been talking to the cops?" Nolans accent started to fade with his anger.  
  
  
  
"Why haven't you used that car like it should be used?"  
  
  
  
"What are you talking about? First you accuse me of workin' with the police for Heaven's sake, and then you start asking me about my car? You should have had that abortion if the hormones are driving you this mad!" Everyone was shocked by the crack issued from the collision of Kate's fist and Nolans' face. Brian, who was the closest to Kate, quickly grabbed her before she could swing again.  
  
  
  
"You son of a bitch. I'm trying to help you and you have to be a dick about it. Now, tell me why you're jacking around with your car if you aren't up to something."  
  
  
  
"My mechanic said it was the best stuff for racing," he said through his broken nose and the hand holding it. "I got it put in after you left. I haven't learned how to use it yet. You happy now? I'll have to have at least three surgeries to get my nose back to perfect, you little bitch." Seeing Kate struggle to get out of Brian's hold, Dom and Vince rushed forward to hold her. Dom nodded to Brian when he had a grip, and Brian let go and took Kate's place in front of the heavily bleeding Nolans.  
  
  
  
"Are you sure that's all?"  
  
  
  
"Am I sure that's all? Am I sure? Hmm, let's think about this... Yes, I'm quite sure you empty-headed bastard! Ow," he mewled when his outburst cause more pain. Brian pulled his hands from he face and gripped his nose lightly. "Please, please, let go," Nolans pleaded.  
  
  
  
"We are about to leave, and you are going to get cleaned up and go to the hospital and have them look at your nose. Now, I personally think you're too much of a dumbass to be of any help to the police. But if you are working for them, tell Detective Ash that you're no longer willing to get his evidence and testify. Got it?" When he didn't say anything, Brian continued, "Do you want me to tell them to let her go?" Micheal, who at this point was more afraid of Kate than the men, tried to shake his head, but quickly realized that it would not be the best decision. "No, don't let her go. I'll go to the hospital, don't worry about that. But I'm not workin' for the cops."  
  
  
  
"Good then, we have an understanding," Brian smiled. He let go of Micheal's nose, which was quickly recovered by Michael's hands, and the four left. Dom seated himself in the back seat with a protective arm around a seething Kate.  
  
  
  
"Hey, this isn't good for the kid in here," he said as he laid a hand on her stomach.  
  
  
  
"Now you're gonna be on my back about what's good for the baby?" she spat acid at him.  
  
  
  
"You know, even though Vince and Brian are in the front seat," he voice dropped, "I can make you really happy." He saw Kate bite her bottom lip as she tried to hold back a smile. Realizing that it wasn't possible, she slapped his chest.  
  
  
  
"Hey, I'm mad right now, don't mess with me. I'll break your nose too." Dom grabbed her hand and kissed her swelling knuckles, surprised that she let him.  
  
  
  
Almost as if she read his mind, she said, "I might as well go along with it and make my life easier."  
  
  
  
"That's the spirit" he cheered. "You really should start throwing lefts. Alternating, you know, so you won't kill just your right hand."  
  
  
  
"So you're pregnant?" Vince asked.  
  
  
  
"Yeah," she replied as she settled into Dom.  
  
  
  
"How far along are you?"  
  
  
  
"About four and a half months." Dom looked to where her shirt had ridden up, and noticed the beginnings of a round stomach. He wondered how she would look nine months pregnant. "I'm still mad," she quietly said, rubbing her right hand.  
  
  
  
"I'm sure you are, kitten."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Micheal had cleaned his up blood and had gotten dressed. Holding a hand towel to his nose to absorb further bleeding, he made his way to the garage. Quickly flipping on the light, he suddenly wished his hadn't.  
  
  
  
"Dammit, son of a bitch, bloody hell, shit, fuck!" Along with all the specifications he had requested, a huge, black cat silhouette that was coughing up hair balls was covering the expanse of his hood. 


	12. chapter 11 - in real life

Chapter Eleven  
  
In Real Life  
  
  
  
Dom checked the clock and realized that he still had twenty minutes before he had to pick up Kate. He looked into the mirror, before cursing himself.  
  
  
  
"Christ, you would think I was going on my first date or somethin'," he muttered. He suddenly wished he and Letty were still going out. At least they had been together long enough that he didn't have to worry about impressing her. He knew where he stood with her, his place in things, and everything that she loved about him. Dom was comfortable with Letty. Maybe that was where everything went wrong, they stopped trying. He shook his head and, after a short internal struggle, decided to ask Mia if he looked good enough.  
  
  
  
"Why, Dom, are you nervous?" she teased. "Don't worry, you look fine." Dom fought off the urge to ask if he just looked fine, only fine, reminding himself that he was a man and men didn't do things like that. Sometimes he hated being a man. The phone rang before he could leave. Hector was wanting to talk to him.  
  
  
  
"What's up?" Dom asked.  
  
  
  
"You up for a race this weekend?" Dominic thought before he answered. If he went, the racer who was working for the police would surely be there. However, it could give him the chance to find the person.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, I'll be there. Do me a favor: do you know any racers who have gotten away with stealing a car?" Hector usually coordinated the races along with a few friends, and he served as an ambassador of sorts to knew racers. If anyone could give a rundown on cars and drivers, Hector could.  
  
  
  
"There's a few, yeah."  
  
  
  
"Good, call all of 'em and make sure they'll be coming. Meet me there a little earlier than usual, and introduce me to 'em."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, sure, Dom," Hector replied. "Why we doin' this?"  
  
  
  
"Some racer with an impending GTA is narcing."  
  
  
  
"Oh, I'll definitely be there. I swear, whoever said there was no honor among thieves sure knew his shit. You better let Gino's offer slide for a minute, if someone's out to get you."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, I hear ya. Hey, man I gotta go. I'll see you... When is this race?"  
  
  
  
"Plannin' on Saturday, same bat station, same bat time. I'll call you if there's any change."  
  
  
  
"Listen, make whatever changes you have to get the car thieves there."  
  
  
  
"I will, man. Later." Dom hung up and said good-bye to Mia as he walked out of the door. He quickly crossed the yard and knocked on Nathan's door.  
  
  
  
"Come on in, Dom. She's not ready, you know. I would offer you a beer, but you're drivin' my little sister around tonight," Nathan said as he and Dom walked into the living room to wait. Nathan looked like there was something else he wanted to say, but was trying to figure out how to say it. Being an older brother himself, Dom pegged it.  
  
  
  
"Look, you don't have to threaten me into not hurtin' your sister. I-"  
  
  
  
"You really don't know Kate, do you? You see, normally, brothers have to watch out for their baby sisters, but not with Kate. You hurt her, she'll kick your ass. Don't get me wrong, Kate will take a lot of shit, but you need to be walkin' a line. But, Dom," he looked pointedly at the larger man, "if you do hurt her, I got a lot of friends and a dad that would beat your ass. So that's, like, twice the pain." As an afterthought, he added, "Though I suppose I'd have to get in on it too. And with this bum leg, I'm sure you'd kill me. So, for my safety -- and her happiness too, of course," he joked, trying to keep the mood light, "-- don't hurt her." They both turned when they heard footsteps on the stairs.  
  
  
  
"You look beautiful," Dom said, smoothly appraising her low slung black slacks; a linen, cream colored peasant blouse with red stitching; and dressy black boots. Being a gentleman he offered her his arm, which she took.  
  
  
  
"You look nice too," she returned. He was wearing dark gray pants; a crisp, white dress shirt with top two buttons undone; and black loafers.  
  
  
  
"Well, what about me?" Nathan asked. Kate giggled as he tried to dance around in his flannel lounge pants, white tank top, and bare feet.  
  
  
  
"Nate, you're a slob," she laughed.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, yeah, you're just jealous," he said to their retreating figures. Once Kate and Dom reached his car, he opened the door for her, then got in on his side.  
  
  
  
-----  
  
  
  
"...And I swear to you, Vince was as naked as the day he was born, and he looked right at Mia like she hadn't been standin' there the whole time and tried to cover himself with the beer bottle. Well, when that didn't work, he just drained the bottle, burped, and said, 'So, who wants seconds?'"  
  
  
  
"Oh, Lord, what have I gotten myself into?" Kate questioned with a smile. Dom had been regaling Kate with tales of the team's exploits, and the last story had been just as funny and strange as the rest. An inebriated Vince equaled quality entertainment.  
  
  
  
"So tell me about you."  
  
  
  
"What do you want to know?" she asked.  
  
  
  
"Umm, anything. Your life story, your family, your friends, your love life. Anything," he offered.  
  
  
  
"You want to talk about my love life on our first date?"  
  
  
  
"Well, I am curious as to why you ever went out with Nolans to begin with. I mean, you're a smart girl, he's a sleazy guy, you just don't go together."  
  
  
  
"My mother died when I was born. And ever since then, Daddy has been a man trying to raise a little girl without any women around to tell him how. Daddy did the best he could, but I was always around guys. When I started liking them for more than their cars, of course none of them wanted me because they considered me 'one of the guys.' I remember, I asked one of my friends out on a date, and he just looked at me and said 'I'm not gay.' I was such a guy to them that none of the straight male population wanted to date me." She shook her head.  
  
  
  
"So, that day I went out and bought all kinds of frilly and lacy, girly things, and make-up. I was sixteen and I had never even touched foundation or worn a skirt. I went over to Nate's girlfriend's house and she helped me look like a girl and act like one too. So I went out lookin' for the wrong kind of attention, and even tried it out on the boys I'd always been friends with. But it didn't work. The guys told me I looked stupid and to put my coveralls back on.  
  
  
  
"I think other guys might have tried to date me, but soon I was wrapped up in racing, and no guy wanted a girlfriend who could kick his ass. Right when I decided to give up on guys, Micheal started coming to the races.  
  
  
  
"He was the first guy ever to look at me like he wanted me, you know? He didn't want me to fix his car, or detail it, or anything like that; he just wanted me. Of course, I said yes when he asked me on a date. Micheal was very sweet then, plus he had an accent, so it was, like, extra points. I should have just called the whole thing off when I found out he had never even been to England. I mean, if he could lie about something as petty as that, what about the rest of our relationship?"  
  
  
  
"He's not British?" Dom asked, confused.  
  
  
  
"No," Kate laughed. "Get him mad and that accent just disappears. I'm surprised you didn't noticed when we were at his house. So we dated for a few years, and we broke up three months ago. He's pretty much the only actual relationship I've ever had."  
  
  
  
"So," Dom started to change the subject, "why doesn't Nathan race?"  
  
  
  
"You never asked him how he got that limp?" He shook his head. "Well, a few years ago, Nate was working his way up in the San Diego ranks. He was good too; everyone kept expecting him to be better than Daddy. But one night, I don't know. He was racing uphill. There was some gravel, it must have fallen off a truck, and no one noticed it in the road. Nate didn't see it either, until he was just about on it. He was going too fast to hit his brakes, so he tried to turn. His back tire caught the gravel and spun him around, and he hit a tree. Nate's knee shattered against the dashboard, but other than that, he was all right. He's got eight pins holding' it together now, but that's not what stopped him. Nate just lost his nerve. Why did you stop racing for so long?"  
  
  
  
"I promised Brian I wouldn't until he got out of prison. He was in there when he didn't have to be, and it just didn't feel right with me. So, Nathan loses his nerve and, what, you take his place?"  
  
  
  
"No, it wasn't like that. Like I said, I grew up around boys and cars. My family is a racing family, kinda like yours. So when I was old enough, I got a car with Daddy's help and asked him to teach me how to race. Of course, I was his little girl and he didn't want me near the tracks. But he knew that I was just as stubborn as he was, so he taught me how to race. When it came to nos, though, he was set against it. When I was eighteen, I asked him to put some in my car or I would get it from someone else. Daddy doesn't trust anyone else with my car, so he put it in for me and made sure I knew how to use it without blowin' a hole in the world.  
  
  
  
"All right, I'm gonna ask you something, and it may sound a little silly, but it's important," she said shyly.  
  
  
  
"Well, ask."  
  
  
  
"Would you mind if I took pictures of you, and used you as a model? I wouldn't ask, but you have such a wonderful skin color and beautiful features."  
  
  
  
"What, you mean, like, nudes and stuff?" Dom was surprised at this turn of the conversation. He hoped he wasn't being too forward, but he knew a lot of artists did nudes paintings and sculptures.  
  
  
  
"Well, sure. I mean, if your comfortable with that." The truth was, Kate had never done nudes except in art classes when she was in college. Then, it was always a model that she didn't know. Now, it seemed different. It wasn't what she had in mind, but she wasn't going to walk away from the opportunity. "I'd also like to get some pictures of you, and maybe the rest of the team too, doing just normal, everyday stuff. And... Oh, this is going to sound so strange..."  
  
  
  
"Has that ever stopped you before?"  
  
  
  
"No, but... Okay. I like bodies. Not even whole bodies, just parts. I like to watch muscles work, and frankly, you have a lot of them to work. I'd like to just sketch and photograph your hands, arms, torso, back, and feet, and basically your whole body in parts."  
  
  
  
"My whole body, huh?" he smirked.  
  
  
  
"Oh, shut up."  
  
  
  
"This isn't just some way to get into my pants, is it?" he continued lightly teasing.  
  
  
  
"You know, you never gave me that picture of the Charger," she switched the topic.  
  
  
  
"Oh, yeah, I got that right here." He pulled out his wallet, and took out a small picture of the car and a man standing next to a teenager. He had been carrying it around for two weeks, reluctant to let go of it. It was the best one he had of the Charger, but it also was a picture of him and his father. Dom saw a glimmer of something dart across Kate's face, but before he could distinguish what it was, it was gone.  
  
  
  
"So, when's your birthday, Dom?" Kate asked as she looked up.  
  
  
  
"My birthday?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah. This is the get-to-know-each-other date, and I don't even know your birthday."  
  
  
  
-----  
  
  
  
Dom and Kate slowly walked the three steps onto the porch. Once they reached the door, she turned to him.  
  
  
  
"Tonight was really good. I had fun."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, so did I," Dom agreed. They stood awkwardly for a silent minute before Dom spoke again. "If I try to kiss you, will you pull away again?"  
  
  
  
"You'll just have to try it and see."  
  
  
  
"Then I guess I'll have to make sure you can't go anywhere." Before Kate could respond, she was wrapped tightly in Dom's embrace. True to his words, she couldn't get away from him if she tried. But she didn't try, only wrapped her arms around him as well. Looking straight into her eyes, Kate felt as if Dom was hypnotizing her as his face moved closer. Breaking contact, his eyes darted towards her lips, and she licked them in anticipation. Dom closed the space, his lips melding with hers. His tongue was quickly seeking entrance into her mouth and soon met with Kate's. She pushed into him more, wanting to be closer, the moment taking her. His hands slid down her back and around her sides, coming to rest on her hips, pulling the two of them together. Kate pulled her head back, planting a light kiss on his lips.  
  
  
  
"I had a lot of fun," she breathed.  
  
  
  
"Let's have some more."  
  
  
  
"Not tonight." 


	13. chapter 12 - one thing i know

Chapter Twelve  
  
One Thing I Know  
  
  
  
Hector walked into Dom's shop. He looked around, trying to find either his car or Dom. Noticing Kate buffing his car, he traversed the short distance between them.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Hector. You're right on time," she greeted when she noticed him.  
  
  
  
"Wow, it looks great," he replied, looking at the car. The paint had been nicked up a bit when he brought it into the shop, but now he couldn't find any trace of the scratches or where Kate had painted. A smile spread across his lips as his eyes alighted on the small, painted, silver cat that was licking its paw just above his back bumper.  
  
  
  
"I couldn't find the base color, and Harry told me they quit sellin' it. So I had to mix it myself," she explained. "But after I got that, it was cake." Hector took a lap around the car, examining it closer. It looked as if it had never been nicked at all. "You know, you really should start taking better care of the car," she lectured. "I know you care for what's under the hood, but the outside's just as important. Rain and dew get into the scratches, then it magnifies the sun's rays. Then they start to rust, and soon, you're car's fallin' apart and all you got left is what's under the hood."  
  
  
  
Feeling a bit sheepish, Hector conceded, "Yeah, I know. I promise I'll take better care of it. Next scratch, I'll come see you."  
  
  
  
"All right, there you go. I'll see ya, Hector." She waved good-bye to him as she walked into Dom's office. "Hector's here, and I need to go get started on your car," she said to him. "Call me if you need anything." Dom nodded before thinking better of it. He stood and crossed over to Kate, pulling her in for a light kiss. He knew Hector could see through the open office door, but he didn't know if Hector had any plans for Kate. If he did, they would definitely be halted, and Hector would make sure that everyone knew Kate was Dom's.  
  
  
  
"Have fun," he said as he rested his forehead against hers for a few seconds. Breaking away from each other, Dom walked out to see Hector and Kate walked to her car.  
  
  
  
Twenty minutes later, she was standing in Dom's garage. Kate had already stripped the remainder of the paint, so she began to cut white butcher paper to fit over the windows, lights, plates, mirrors, bumpers, and blower, carefully measuring to make sure that everything was covered. Once that was done, she taped the paper to the corresponding part with blue painter's tape. It was just sticky enough to hold, but not sticky enough to mess up what it was sticking to. Then she carefully put a layer of tape over the random bit of chrome. When she was done about an hour later, she began to attack the car vigorously with black primer, making sure to get a nice, even coat. Being somewhat anal retentive about her paint jobs, she even painted the metal that was hidden when the doors, hood, and trunk were closed.  
  
  
  
She had told Dom that she wanted to paint the car alone for a reason. Partly, it was a surprise for him. Somewhat, she had a Charger obsession. Dom knew how the car would be painted, but mental pictures and actual sight were two very different things. Kate had made Dom promise not to go into his garage before she was done, and she had even made a deadline for herself. Luckily, she would be able to finish in plenty of time.  
  
  
  
Giving the primer time to dry, Kate crossed the yard and went to her house and directly to her room. Taking out a big box from her closet, she started sifting through pictures of the races she had been to when she was younger. Kate stopped a few times to compare pictures of racers to the picture that Dom had given her.  
  
  
  
When she first saw the picture of the charger and the two men, she immediately recognized them as Mr. Toretto and Dom. Kate was sure that she had taken pictures of them both at various times when she was barely a teenager. She had followed her father all over the tracks, taking candid shots of racers. When Dom handed her the picture at dinner, she knew she had discovered what to do with her box of racing pictures. Some of it, at least.  
  
  
  
After she had found all the pictures of Dom, his father, and his car, she took them downstairs to Nathan's office. He was at a meeting at the nearest Dodge manufacturing plant for the day. Quickly finding his Xerox machine, she struggled for a few minutes before learning how to work it. When she had made a half of a dozen copies of everything in different sizes and tones, she took the load down into the basement which had been dubbed her studio.  
  
  
  
Kate carefully started tearing and cutting up the pictures, keeping the negative space separate for later use. Then she arranged the pictures in different positions on the nearest table. Deciding on a composition she liked, Kate decided she wanted to mount it on a mirror. First, though she had to back it.  
  
  
  
She searched through the cabinets and retrieved a bottle of Mod Podge, a glue especially designed for de cou podges. Kate used a large piece of thick paper to back the picture. She used a paintbrush to brush glue onto the paper, then carefully chose which picture she would place onto it. After translating the picture, she brushed more glue onto it, covering it completely. She continued this process, stopping intermittently to tint some copies with water color paint. Afterwards, she filled in empty areas with the black, negative space she had stripped away from the copies. Two hours later, when everything was glued down on the paper, she took an Exacto-Knife and trimmed the paper edges away from the pictures.  
  
  
  
Once she was finished, she remembered that she wanted it on a mirror. Thinking it over, she realized the bathroom had a mirror that would be perfect. Kate dug through her tool box, collecting various screw drivers. She took five of them with her when she went to the bathroom. The mirror was held in place with shell shaped clamps that were screwed into the wall. Picking out a screwdriver that fit, she removed the screws and carefully took down the mirror. Carefully, Kate forged down to the basement, hoping Nate wouldn't kill her when he got home. This was being done in the name of art, after all.  
  
  
  
Placing the mirror on the table, she again searched through her cabinets, looking for a bottle of rubber cement. Upon finding it, she went about adding it to the back of the paper and front of the mirror, quickly before the glue could dry. Once the paper was in place, she stood back and admired her handiwork. Dom would love it, she was sure. Once the cement was dry, she used a gum rubber eraser to clean up the edges of the picture, removing the glue that had seeped from under the picture when she pressed it. There, it was finished, it was perfect.  
  
  
  
After Kate stood admiring the picture for a bit, she heard Nathan come in the door. From the basement, she could hear his footsteps walk towards the bathroom, an uneven thumping coming from his altered gait. A few minutes later, she heard the toilet flush.  
  
"Katelynn Marie MacNeal!" his voice thundered throughout the house. She decided to go upstairs to face him. As soon as she walked into the living room, she was met by Nathan whose anger looked to be barely contained. "Where the hell is my mirror?!"  
  
  
  
"I had an art attack, and the mirror was perfect. I promise, I'll go out and by another one and stick it in the bathroom, but I really needed the mirror."  
  
  
  
Nathan's jaw worked up and down a few times, but words seem to elude him. When he finally started making sounds, his words did not form sentences. "What? You did... How? I -- why? But...mirror. Mine. Horrible."  
  
  
  
"Nate, dude, don't be so dramatic."  
  
  
  
"Dra-dramatic? Don't be so dramatic? You've got my mirror doing God-knows- what with God-knows-what, and you don't want me to be so dra-ma-tic?" he pronounced every syllable clearly. Nate knew it was a losing battle, though. When Kate's artistic impulse was involved, nothing could be won. Finally settling to the idea that he would never get the mirror back, Nathan continued, "I just can't believe it. I come home and my stuff is gone." Kate rolled her eyes. 


	14. chapter 13 - got me thinkin' for sure

Chapter Thirteen  
  
Got Me Thinkin' For Sure  
  
  
  
Dom looked around the basement, wondering if he was going to go through with this. It wasn't the ideal place to strip down. The paint cans stacked in the corner, the dusty shelves that contained junk that looked as if it belonged in a yard sale, and the couch and bed in the corner didn't bother him. However, two things did: there was a curtain hanging over a picture that Kate had expressly told him not to look at, and the fact that there was a slight chill in the air. If Kate would be seeing him naked today, he didn't want anything to make him look small. Like any man, he was proud of what God gave him, but that didn't mean it didn't shrink at times. After all, Dom wanted to make the best impression.  
  
  
  
"Okay, I want to get some head shots first," Kate said as she came down the stairs. Dom had been so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice and her voice startled him. "Could you sit here?" she asked, motioning to a chair that he had missed in his survey of the room. "I'm not as tall as you, and I want these straight on."  
  
  
  
"Should I smile?" he asked.  
  
  
  
"Do whatever you feel like doing. I want this natural." Dom sat facing forward as she snapped picture after picture. "Don't move," she warned as she circled around him. He realized that she had probably done this a lot before as the urge to turn his face towards the camera took hold of him. Once she had gotten back around to his face, she let him stand. "You're going to have to trust me for this one," she said. "I want you to look at the camera and concentrate on whatever I tell you to, okay?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah, sure," he replied, almost questioning. She stood away from him and began giving directions.  
  
  
  
"I want you to think about your favorite thing in the world." After taking a few pictures, she decided that it wasn't enough. "Okay, I want you to tell me about your favorite thing in the world."  
  
  
  
Shakily, he started. "My dad's old racing jacket. He had a couple, but the one I have is the only one that's left. It's white and red, and has his number on it. His car was four. I remember when I was a kid, and he would win races all the time. When his victory lap was over, I'd run out to the pit and he'd put his jacket on me. It was too big then, but I loved it. It made me feel like I was really a part of him. And even now, I slip it on from time to time to feel him again. I love it," his voice cracked. He had not known what to expect when he agreed with this, but he was beginning to wonder if he would make it through. He was still not able to talk much about his father.  
  
  
  
While he was talking, Kate was capturing the emotions that played across his face along with his mannerisms and natural body language. "Tell me about something that make you happy."  
  
  
  
"What makes me happy... Umm, that's hard. You don't remember when things are happy, you just remember when things are shitty. So, you only remember the things that make you unhappy. But, umm, kisses. Yeah, kisses make me happy," he grinned at her.  
  
  
  
"You tryin' to tell me somethin'?"  
  
  
  
"Fast cars make me happy," he ignored her question. "Working out in the shop with all my friends makes me happy. I got everyone I love there with me all day."  
  
  
  
"Tell me about them."  
  
  
  
"Well, Leon is a pretty good guy. He's very mellow. He sorta takes what comes at him and doesn't break his stride. And every time I see him I wonder how he can keep from inhaling his toothpick. I guess he's just talented like that. And he's calming, you know. Just his presence can relax you.  
  
  
  
"Vince is on the other end of the spectrum. He's a hothead. If he doesn't like you, you'll know it quick. But he's also a good guy. Hell, they all are. Vince is as loyal and protective as a pit bull. You win him once, and he's a friend for life.  
  
  
  
"Brian, well, he's dating my sister. He's my friend, but I'll kick his ass in a heartbeat if he hurts Mia. He's loyal too. He went to prison for me. I'll never forget that. I guess if Mia had to choose someone to love, she didn't make a bad decision. Of course, I always knew she was a smart girl. She gets it from me," he joked as he swelled his chest with mock arrogance and real pride.  
  
  
  
"Then there's Jesse. I think, to me, Jesse will always be a kid. A sweet kid. The kind that you want for a little brother. He's great. I'd give anything for him to be okay again. But I'm just thankful that he's alive. When I thought he was dead, I just broke down right there on the side walk," he explained, oblivious to the fact that Kate didn't know much about what had happened. "I like Jesse because he keeps me young.  
  
  
  
"Letty is someone that I've loved for a very long time. When she was a kid, and so was I for that matter, she always bothered me. She kept hanging around when Vince and I would be working on cars with my dad. I thought she came around for Mia at first, but when she snubbed Barbies, I knew that Letty was going to be a problem. And God bless, but she did turn out to be pretty good with cars. Then she grew up all at once one summer, and she had me. We were together for eight years, but, you know, we broke up. The relationship wasn't good for either of us anymore.  
  
  
  
"And Mia. I am so proud of her. Once she finally graduates, she'll be able to do anything she wants. She can get out of here, and not have to worry about me getting into trouble. But I know she won't. She'll stay right here. Which is good, because I don't know what any of us would do without her. Everyone looks to me to hold this family together, but Mia's the one working in the background taking care of me. I think she knows that if she left, I would get old and fat and bald for real, because she wouldn't be here to whip my butt when I need it.  
  
  
  
"Then there's you and Nathan. You two are good for me too. I know Nathan doesn't work at the shop, but he might as well. He's always there a few times a month asking me about cars. It's good to feel like I'm an expert at something. And you're there, and you always have me guessing which way you're gonna go. Like, most girls I know would have let me kiss them and more, but you kept pushin'. And to tell the truth, I think you would have even if you weren't havin' a kid. It wouldn't surprise me, you're like that."  
  
  
  
During his soliloquy, Kate had to change film twice. Dom, whose mind had been focused on describing his friends, didn't even notice the pause between clicks. Now he waited patiently as she changed rolls again.  
  
  
  
"Now," she said as she looked up, "I want you to tell me exactly how sexy you are." Dom was shocked. She wanted him to do what? How could he do that? Seeing his hesitation, she explained, "Just tell me what you think is sexy about you. I don't care what it is, just tell me. Don't get shy on me now."  
  
  
  
Taking a minute to gather his courage, he dutifully followed instruction. "I think my eyes are sexy. They're all deep and coal colored. I've been told they're sexy. I like my hands too, but not because of how they look. I like what I can do with them. I like knowing that they can loosen the most stubborn bolt, or the can massage someone's back until they fall asleep. I once read that the hands were the real windows to the soul. I think that's true. You can tell a lot about a person from their hands. Mine say I work hard and I'm strong. I also like my muscles. It took a long time to build them. Girls like muscles, don't they? I guess it depends on the girl, really.  
  
  
  
"But more than that, I think I'm a generally good person. I think a good personality is sexy, so maybe I'm a little sexy there. I like me, anyway. I'd be attracted to me, if I was a girl. And I understand that sexy isn't about sex. People miss that sometimes. They think that you have to show everything in order to be considered sexy, but you don't. You're born with it. You have that quality. It's all about the attitude. I think my attitude is sexy."  
  
  
  
"Okay, take off your shirt." After talking about his sexiness, Dom was prepared for the next step. "I'm just going to get some close-ups of your torso in different positions." After taking off his shirt, Kate started snapping pictures of his chest, stomach, back, and arms. She spent extra time on his hands, telling him it was a slight, artsy fetish. Then she had him move to the bed where she could get him into more positions, such as arching his back and laying on his side with one elbow propping him. "Pants off," she ordered.  
  
  
  
Dom slowly took his shoes and socks off before peeling away his pants. He was becoming increasingly aware of the chill he had only recently forgotten. Once he was pantless, she started taking pictures from his feet up. Kate then had him lean against the headboard with is legs spread as she knelt between his feet and dirty thoughts ran through his mind. She clicked the camera a few times from that position.  
  
  
  
"You wanna go all the way?" Kate asked, giving him the chance to back out. "You don't have to."  
  
  
  
"You know what, I will."  
  
  
  
Kate tried not to stare directly at him while he slipped his boxers off, but the effort was wasted. She chided herself many times for being unprofessional. When he was finally naked, he looked at her expectantly. Coming to the conclusion that she had to do something, she immediately started taking pictures of him standing, carefully avoiding his crotch as to not seem too eager. Slowly, she curved downwards, trying not to concentrate on his penis. She had top to think of it as that: nothing but a penis, a phallus, a male organ. After a few more roll changes, Kate decided to stop. But first, there was something she had to do.  
  
  
  
"Turn around," she ordered. Once his back was facing her, she kneeled and snapped a picture of his butt. Playgirl can't get any better than this, she thought. 


	15. chapter 14 - to get your fame

Chapter Fourteen  
  
To Get Your Fame  
  
  
  
As Dom pulled his clothes on, he noticed that it was already six o'clock. The time seemed to pass faster than he realized as Kate took pictures of him. Once he was fully clothed, he watched silently as Kate moved around the room, packing up her film and camera.  
  
  
  
"You comin' to the race tonight?" he asked, trying to break the silence. Once she was finished, she turned to him.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, but I don't think I'll race."  
  
  
  
"Why?" he asked. "I've been looking forward to having another chance to beat you."  
  
  
  
Kate smiled sweetly and patted his cheek. "Honey, you'll never get that lucky." He grabbed her hand and stepped closer.  
  
  
  
"Oh, really."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, you'll never have the chance." She pulled from his grasp and ran towards the stairs. Dom followed quickly and caught her about five stairs up. Turning her in his arms, he stretched them out on the stairs as comfortably as possible. Before either had time to think, Dom started kissing Kate. He started off slow and soft, but his kisses became harder and more urgent. Kate met his kisses with the same enthusiasm, shifting slightly as the stairs dug into her back.  
  
  
  
"I've shown you mine..." Dom trailed. His fingers began to push her shirt up, exposing her belly. Before the shirt could get all the way up, his hands went down to her pants, beginning to unbutton them.  
  
  
  
When Kate felt Dom's hands on her zipper, she plunged back to reality. "Dom, we have to stop," she said, tugging her shirt down and reaching for her the fly of her jeans.  
  
  
  
"What?" his faced popped towards hers.  
  
  
  
"Doing this is what got me into this situation to begin with," she replied. Dom rolled off of her, onto the stairs.  
  
  
  
"It's not like I can get you pregnant again. Besides, I always use a condom."  
  
  
  
"Micheal and I used a condom, and I still got pregnant." Dom raised his hands as if to fend off something.  
  
  
  
"Okay, rule number one: never tell your current boyfriend any kind of details about your past sex life, unless the details include kinks, fetishes, or lesbians."  
  
  
  
Kate caught his wording. "You're my boyfriend?" she asked, unsure of their situation.  
  
  
  
"Well, yeah, I guess. I mean, our date was good. I just thought you'd want- "  
  
  
  
"Oh, I don't have a problem with it, I just wasn't sure if that's what you wanted."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine with it."  
  
  
  
"Okay."  
  
  
  
"Okay." Dom paused for a minute. "Let's go out again. See if I do get lucky."  
  
  
  
Kate was beginning to doubt the relationship that seemed to have just formed. "Dom, I hope you don't expect me to sleep with you. If that's all you're after, then maybe we shouldn't be together. I mean, I don't want to have sex with you so soon. We've only been on one date."  
  
  
  
"Kitty, I'm gonna level with you. I like sex. I would especially like to have sex with you. But, if that's not what you want, I understand. I may not be happy about it, but I can wait. I won't push you. All though, when you're ready, I do live right next door. So, how about I take you out next Friday?"  
  
  
  
"Sounds good." Kate stood and started up the stairs after seeing Dom get up.  
  
  
  
-----  
  
  
  
The team pulled up to the warehouses a little earlier than usual. Once all their cars were parked and they had assembled their group, Dom was greeted be Hector.  
  
  
  
"Hey, man. I got your people," Hector said. Dom nodded is understanding and excused himself from the small group with Vince, Brian, and Kate trailing. The five, including Hector, were the only ones who knew about the snitch. Dom wanted to tell the rest, but he did not want to cause them to worry and Leon still wasn't completely ruled out. Dom didn't want to have to look at Leon as a possible suspect, but he could never be sure about anything anymore.  
  
  
  
Hector stopped in front of a silver Mazda and began his duty. "Charlie, how ya been?" he said as he shook hands with a small man. "Listen, this is the Dominic Toretto and a few members of his team. You must have done something to impress him because he wanted to meet you," Hector talked him up. Charlie's features quickly went awestruck as Dom shook his hand. While Dom and Hector chatted with Charlie, Kate quickly snapped a few pictures. They would be great for reference and for her racing box. After a short conversation, the group went to the next thief.  
  
  
  
"Greg, 'sup?" Greg was a skinny man with medium brown skin and a preppy aura. He looked like he didn't belong at the races, but in a business class. When he met Dom, Greg seemed to not recognize him at first. On the peripheral of his vision, Brian caught the subtle way Greg's and Kate's eyes locked and how she pursed her lips when he nodded. They talked for a few minutes while Kate got in a couple pictures before heading to third and final candidate.  
  
  
  
Reggie was a punk with shifty eyes and a nervous demeanor. He quickly noticed Dom and launched a conversation before they had been introduced. Reggie kept asking Dom questions about racing and cars while flicking his eyes away for a second before returning to Dom's imposing figure. Ten minutes and a three pictures later, the group was on its way back to the center of things.  
  
  
  
After agreeing to a bet, the cars lined up on the street and waited for Hector to signal the start. Greg had decided to race, and Dom doubted Greg would beat anyone. Four cars lurched over the line when Hector's hands fell. Dom was shocked as Greg's car sped past his, but Dom gained speed and was soon just a few inches in front of Greg's green Toyota. Dom fired his nos. Greg also shot his but was too late on the charge. Once all the cars had come to a stop, Hector gave Mia the money and Dom kissed Kate. When he turned around, he saw Greg laughing with who he was sure was Greg's girlfriend.  
  
  
  
"What's so funny?" Dom asked. A possible rat was laughing after a race, something Dom considered a threat. Greg turned around, still smiling.  
  
  
  
"I just enjoyed the ride, man, just enjoyed the ride." Dom quirked an eyebrow. Greg was just full of surprises. He was about to say something else, but Kate ran from behind him and into Greg's arms. Dom's jaw nearly dropped from his face when she gave him a light peck on the lips.  
  
  
  
"Look at you," she said, pulling away from him. "What's with this? What did you get all dressed up for?" He laughed and pointed to the girl beside him. "Oh, my gosh, Nhshara!" Kate squealed and hugged the other woman. "It's been so long, girl. I see you've finally managed to clean Greg up some."  
  
  
  
"It is easy when you threaten not to be seen with him in public," the dark beauty said through a lithe, displaced, South African accent. "And," her voice dropped, "when you threaten no sex." Kate shared a girlish giggle with Nhshara when she caught Dom scowling at the scene.  
  
  
  
"Oh, Dom," she turned to him, "this is my friend Greg. You've already met him. I grew up with him in San Diego. And this is another one of my friends, Nhshara." Kate wrapped her arms around Dom and stood on the tips of her toes so she could whisper into his ear. "Greg's the one that's 'not gay.'" 


	16. chapter 15 - like you know me

Chapter Fifteen  
  
Like You Know Me  
  
Dom was actually early for his own party. The crowd had dissipated when police were heard across the scanners, and luckily, Dom was able to get away without being stopped. He looked towards Kate, and was glad that he had made it to his party before the rest. They needed to talk.  
  
"You know Greg?"  
  
"Yeah, and I know what you're thinkin'. He's cool, he ain't the one who's with the cops."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Of course. Anyway, why would LAPD get someone from San Diego? They couldn't charge him with anything."  
  
Dom thought on this for a few moments. "They couldn't unless Greg took the car in LA. Did you know about it?"  
  
Kate looked away before answering, "No, I didn't." The first partiers started to arrive along with the rest of the team. "Look, Dom, let me talk to Greg and Nhsharra when they get here. Greg can't lie. He's horrible at it."  
  
Dom and Kate did laps around the house as people arrived and the party started to get hot. Dom was networking, making sure that everyone knew Kate was working for him in case they needed their car painted. Kate was looking for Greg and finally found him and Nhsharra about an hour into the party.  
  
"Let's go upstairs, I need to talk to you," she said as she pulled them behind her. Kate had never been upstairs, but she imagined she could find her way around the top level of the house. Finding a room that was unmistakably Dom's, she pushed the two inside before closing the door.  
  
"Kitty, what's the rush?" Greg asked.  
  
"I just thought we would catch up on some things, like cars."  
  
"What about them?" he fidgeted  
  
"When did you start stealing them?" Greg took an audible breath.  
  
"Six months ago, I was drunk and wanted to have a little fun, and Micheal made me mad with the way he was treatin' you. So I took the Supra for a little ride."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"What do you mean where?"  
  
"Where did you pick it up, and where did you go?"  
  
"Out side his favorite club, and I just took off around a couple of blocks."  
  
"That was it?"  
  
"Yeah." Kate paced around the room, looking as if she was trying to decide something. "That's a nice job you did on his car, by the way."  
  
"You saw it?" Her eyes lit up.  
  
"Yeah, uh, he took it to Bill's place to get it repainted. He's pissed as shit."  
  
"He's what?" Nhsharra asked, with a slight lift to her chin.  
  
"He's, um, not too happy with the service you provided, kitten." Nhsharra flashed a wide smile to Kate.  
  
***  
  
After catching up with Greg and Nhsharra following the mini- interrogation, Kate made her way downstairs with the two. They said their good-byes and Kate started a mission to find Dom. The music was even louder than the first party she had been to, and she could barely hear herself when she yelled into Dom's ear. Dom didn't hear much either, as he took her hand and led her back upstairs to his bedroom.  
  
"What?" he asked, once the door had been shut and the throbbing base was the only major sound coming from the section below.  
  
"Drunken Greg steals Micheal's Supra in San Diego, races around a few blocks. That's it. He can't be the one."  
  
Dom took the opportunity to notice that they were in his bedroom. Alone. Forget about, big guy, she's off limits, he told himself.  
  
"So, you gonna be racin' at Race Wars?"  
  
"Miss it? Never."  
  
"I've been meanin' to ask you somethin'. Can Brian use your car when you're not racin'?"  
  
"My? Car? You're kidding right? You know what, Daddy has a bunch of supped up cars that he sells and rents. Why don't you and Brian come down to San Diego with me, and you can pick one out."  
  
"How much does one cost?"  
  
"Hmm, it depends on the car. But I'll see what I can do by way of discount." She looped her arms around his neck.  
  
"Remind me to thank Greg," he said.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For not being gay," he replied as he leaned down to kiss her.  
  
"Because you are???" she joked.  
  
Dom chuckled for a few seconds. "You know, that was a moment, it was. And now it's gone, it's ruined."  
  
Kate relished the feeling of his body gently pulsing against hers as he laughed.  
  
"We'll have time for more moments," she teased. She knew she had turned him down earlier and made it seem as if she would keep him waiting for long period of time, but dammit, her resolve was weakening. 


	17. chapter 16 - tryin' to compare this

Chapter Sixteen  
  
Tryin' to Compare This  
  
  
  
"I need to speak to Detective Ash."  
  
"One moment, please," the chipper voice put him on hold. After a few seconds of badly recorded music, the line picked up again.  
  
"Ash speaking."  
  
"He knows," came the cryptic reply.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Toretto knows you're on to him."  
  
"How?" Ash sat down in his desk chair and swirled his long cold coffee. He tried to take a deep breath to calm his rising anger. This was the last chance the police could have to catch Toretto. If it was blown, so was his job. He would not let that happen.  
  
"I don't know. Someone must have tipped him of. Maybe Harry."  
  
"Harry doesn't know or he wouldn't have given us your name. You better hope Toretto still tries to pull something, or you'll be in prison. It'll be your third strike, you'll get mandatory life," Ash threatened.  
  
"Don't you think I know that? Look, I need time to let all this die-"  
  
"You don't have time." Ash was about to hang up, when the voice on the other end pleaded with him.  
  
"Wait, I think I know who helped Toretto and O'Conner out that night." That grabbed Ash's attention.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"It's a girl who just moved to town. Her name is Katelynn MacNeal. She's a racer, goes by the name of Kitty-Kate. Her father lives in San Diego, his name is Wayne. Kate lives with her brother Nathan, next door to Toretto."  
  
***  
  
"What do you think?" Dom asked Brian. They were staring at the pictures Kate had taken during the last race, paying special attention to the three racers who had stolen cars.  
  
"I think Charlie was too surprised and happy to meet you to be working for the cops. Anyone who would be with them wouldn't be as star-struck, unless he's just a really good actor.  
  
"Greg was calm. He didn't even look like a racer. I think he's too cool-headed to be roped by the cops. He didn't seem too interested in you either. The cops would have to be pressuring him to get evidence, it wouldn't make sense for him to not be after you. And Kate cleared him, right?  
  
"I've got my money on Reggie. He was fidgeting the entire time he was talking to you. And he kept asking you a million questions. If any of them are going to be the narc, he's it."  
  
"You still think Nolans is doin' it?"  
  
"I don't think so. But you still have Edwin and Leon to worry about."  
  
"Leon isn't a part of this," Dom insisted.  
  
"Dom, don't close him out of this. You can't really trust too many people."  
  
"I can trust Leon," Dom's voice started to rise.  
  
"Look, I don't want to consider it either, but we can't count him out until we know for sure."  
  
"What about you?" he demanded. "You've boosted cars before. And you lied to me once. You're willing to accept Kate's word about Greg and Nolans, but you keep pushin' for Leon. Maybe you're the one doin' this, and you want me to not even think of you. How do I know this isn't something you're doing to get your badge back?"  
  
"Are you insane? I did the car jobs when I was a kid. I did my time in Arizona for it. I don't know why I keep thinkin' of Leon, but I have a feelin' about him for some reason. There's no way I can get my badge back, and I wouldn't do that to you or Mia. Especially Mia. Dom, I know you still may not trust me completely, but I love your sister. I wouldn't ever hurt her like that." Dom closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He had to remain calm.  
  
"Don't you see, Leon's family. All I got is this little family, and I don't want to ever have to think that one of them is against me."  
  
"Look, the cops got the name of the guy from Harry's. Let's go talk to him, and maybe we can figure out who it is." Brian watched as Dom ran a big hand over his five o'clock shadowed head. He decided to ask Dom a question that had been bothering him all month. "Umm, Dom, I want to do this right and all. I'm supposed to ask Mia's father, but he ain't here. So, I figure you're the man to ask. I-ya, you know how Mia and I've been together for a few years now, and even when I was in prison. Well, I really love her, and I was wondering if you'd mind if I, uh, asked her to, umm, marry me?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Brian was sure Dom would hit him. He just had a feeling that he'd better duck.  
  
"You serious?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Welcome to the family." 


	18. chapter 17 - all that pressure you apply...

Chapter Seventeen  
  
All That Pressure You Applyin'  
  
Dom and Brian walked into Harry's clean, prim store. Weaving through displays and isles, they made it to the counter where Harry was giving a customer his change.  
  
"Hey, boys, what brings you here?" Harry asked.  
  
"We need to talk," Dom said solemnly. Harry recognized Dom's tone of voice and knew that he wanted this discussion to be held in private. Waving them to the back room where Brian used to stay, Harry closed the door and waited form Dom to begin. "We've got a problem. Someone who has stolen a car before is now willing to testify against me as soon as the police are ready. They're waiting for me to do something, and the person they got watching me was named by you."  
  
"Dom," Harry said defensively, hands raised, "I would never give anything to the police. You know me. I promise you, I never said anything to them."  
  
"Maybe not to a uniformed officer," Brian stepped in, "but they did get a name from you somehow. We need you to tell us everyone you know who's racing and has stolen a car."  
  
Harry nodded and searched himself for a minute. "Well, there's a guy named Greg Walton, I can give you his number. He's a black man who looks like a rich kid-"  
  
"We met him last night along with Reggie Tanner and Charlie DuPri."  
  
"I didn't know about Charlie." Brian mentally checked Charlie off the list, giving himself kudos for being right. "Reggie's a wild card. But he's completely anti-establishment. I think his parents were hippies or something. Reggie would never do anything to help the 'establishment,' and that includes ratting on someone to save his own hide. In fact, I think he would be happy to go to jail, so he could look on himself as a martyr or somethin'. Of course, there's Edwin and Hector-"  
  
"Hector?!" Dom interrupted for a second time.  
  
"Yeah, Hector. He's been running cars down to Mexico for Gino. I thought you knew."  
  
"No," Dom breathed. No, he didn't know about Hector. Hector was supposed to be his friend and partner when dealing with Gino, the man who coordinated the truck heists and who they still dealt with on occasion. To Dom's knowledge, Hector had never stolen a car and Gino had never offered a job like that. "How long has he been doin' this?"  
  
"A few months now."  
  
"And you're sure it's Gino he's workin' for?"  
  
"Yeah... Wait, Dom, you don't think it's Hector who's the narc, do you?"  
  
"I don't know. It's gotten to the point where I don't know who I can trust. I got my team, but that's about it. And Hector ain't a part of my team."  
  
"What about Micheal Nolans?"  
  
Brian briefly wondered how Harry knew about Nolans' past. Seeing that Dom was stunned to literal silence by the news of Hector's thefts, Brian answered for him. "Yeah, we kinda talked to him already."  
  
***  
  
Kate was awoken by a very worried Nathan.  
  
"C'mon, you gotta get up and get dressed. Hurry."  
  
"What?" she asked trying to shove a pillow over her head.  
  
"Some lady is here from Child Protective Services. And she has a cop with her." That caught Kate's attention.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"I don't know. She just asked for you."  
  
Kate shooed Nathan out of the room and quickly dressed. She ran a brush through her hair and headed towards the bathroom where she brushed her teeth. She looked into the mirror and took a shuddering sigh. Nothing good could come of the lady downstairs.  
  
When Kate found the courage to go to the living room, she was greeted by the woman and the officer. Nathan perched on the couch next to his sister, showing his support.  
  
"I'm sorry, but what is this about?" she asked, looking to both the man and the woman for answers.  
  
"A certain party," the woman began, "is worried about the kind of life your child will be brought into."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"It was an anonymous tip. Apparently, this person feels that it would not be in the best interest of the unborn child to stay with you after its birth. Now, we are not here to make any final decision on whether or not the child will be taken away, but we do feel it is necessary to find out more about your lifestyle."  
  
"What about my lifestyle?" Kate choked. She could not believe what she was hearing.  
  
"You're a drag racer, correct?"  
  
"On occasion."  
  
"Miss MacNeal, are you involved in illegal street racing?"  
  
Kate scoffed. Surely, no one would admit to anything illegal in the presence of a police officer. The balk played off on her answer.  
  
"No, of course not."  
  
"We would have no problem with the racing, besides the fact that it's illegal, accept, we would like to know who would be taking care of the child. And, in your condition, even legal races are dangerous."  
  
"Legal races are always dangerous, but that doesn't matter. I haven't raced in a 'legal race' since I've been in this 'condition'."  
  
"Is the money from racing your only means?"  
  
"No, I paint cars for a living. Racing is just a hobby."  
  
"Is painting cars a good job?" the woman asked.  
  
"I think it is," Kate replied.  
  
"What I mean is, does it pay well? Do you have a steady stream of income?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm really established in my business, and I have repeat customers who send people they know my way."  
  
"How much money do you make a month?"  
  
"It fluctuates. I don't always have the same amount of business each month."  
  
"What is the slowest month you've had?"  
  
"When I first started out, I made about two thousand dollars one month."  
  
"So, twenty-four thousand dollars a year would be a minimum?"  
  
Kate nodded, biting her bottom lip. "And I also work at a local shop, doing mechanics when I'm not busy painting."  
  
"Yes, I've been meaning to ask about that. It is owned by Dominic Toretto, your neighbor, correct?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And you are currently dating him?"  
  
"We've had one date, yes."  
  
"And you are aware of his background?"  
  
"What would that be?"  
  
"Mr. Toretto is a felon. He served time at Lompoc for nearly killing a man. He is also suspected as being part of a crime ring. One of his closest friends was convicted on charges stemming from that. And we have proof that he does race illegally."  
  
"He was pulled over a weeks ago," the officer finally broke in. "We would have gotten him if he hadn't had help. And I have a witness that puts you at the scene. You're supposedly the help."  
  
"I told you, I don't do illegal races. And yes, I know about his past. He doesn't have to continue to be punished for something he's already served for. And I've heard rumors, but as far as I know, Johnny Tran was at the center of your crime ring."  
  
"I would suggest that it would be in the best interest of you and your child if you cut your ties with Mr. Toretto," the woman said.  
  
"That's my job."  
  
"Then cut all personal ties and work on finding a new job. We'll be in touch," the woman said as she and the officer stood to leave. Pausing at the door, the officer turned back to Kate.  
  
"If you feel that you need to tell me anything, come to the station. I just might be able to put in a good word about you and your kid."  
  
When they were gone, Kate fell into Nathan's arms.  
  
"What am I going to do, Nate?"  
  
"I don't know, sweetie. I just don't know." 


	19. chapter 18 - bring it to they attention

Chapter Eighteen Bring It to They Attention  
  
Kate had been ignoring Dom all week. At first, it wasn't obvious. However, after three brush-offs, Dom started noticing a pattern. He took it as stress but was getting antsy about their relationship. Finally that Thursday, after not being able to talk to Kate at the shop or on the phone, he went over to her house. It was under the pretense of duty. Nathan was on a business trip, and had asked Dom to keep an eye on Kate.  
  
Standing at the front door, he knocked and waited for an answer. When none came after knocking again, he decided to see if it was open. Luckily, it was.  
  
Once inside the house, he could hear music wafting up the basement stairs. As if leading him by the collar, the music drew Dom to Kate's studio. The door to the basement was open, and he could see light at the bottom, seemingly spilling up the stairs. He made his way down, the music getting louder as he got closer to the bottom.  
  
The basement was nearly covered in artwork. A giant piece in the corner caught his attention. It was an eight feet tall, two feet wide section of plywood that was covered in paper mache. It was a sculpture of Repunzel. She was waiting in her tower, which was made in perspective to magically add height, of green stones mixed with brown. It was a little strange, but it worked. She was wearing a blue dress, and her bright red hair had orange highlights, another strange but workable combination. The sky behind her was painted to look like night, with dark purple interspersed with a lighter periwinkle. It looked as if a golden, high gloss wood stain had been put over it. The gloss worked the different layers of paint out, almost giving the colors themselves a 3-D effect.  
  
Dom's eyes moved a collage of pictures of him. Kate had taken him apart with her camera and recombined him. The different shadows and degrees of closeness and positions made him seem almost cubist. His eyes dipped downward for a second. Oh good Lord, she had included nudity in this particular composition.  
  
Beside the picture were several drawings taken from the session that they had had a week previous. All of them were his bare body, or parts of it. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea after all. Who knew what she was going to do with all of this.  
  
There was another picture of Dom. This one was a painting of him. He was sitting against the headboard of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest, wearing only his boxers with his legs spread. At first, the colors didn't seem to be blended very well, but upon closer inspection, he noticed that she had used her fingertips to paint the picture. From a distance, it looked neat, like a copy that had been done on an old Xerox machine. The kind that was so old that it broke up the different tones, accept this picture was in color. Dom held his hand to it. The color of his painted skin matched the color of his real skin. Damn, she could mix up exactly the right color of paint.  
  
He noticed that there were several black and whites of different sizes, but these were not of him. At least, not only him. These had been taken at the shop. He vaguely remembered her with her camera on Monday and Tuesday. Kate had been taking pictures of everything and everybody, and it seemed at that time that the greasier, the better. There were many that were of hands covered in grime, cleaning or fixing car parts. One of Vince proudly holding a piston. Letty rolling from beneath a car to reach a tool. Jesse with his nose practically touching the computer screen. Leon eating a sandwich as he checked oil. And Mia nearly asleep at the counter of the store.  
  
Dom noticed several other original pieces that were either drawn or painted, but most were in the process of being wrapped and packed into boxes. He could only guess at what was already in the cardboard containers.  
  
As he was about to make his presence known, the CD stopped playing, and Kate turned around at the sound of his heavy feet as he wandered from picture to picture.  
  
"How long have you been there?" she asked.  
  
"Not long. This is nice stuff."  
  
"Thank you. But I'm kinda busy right now." She motioned to something she was painting which Dom couldn't see.  
  
"I wanted to come by and see you. We haven't really had time for each other, you know?" He heard her sigh, and she set down her brush, turning on her stool.  
  
"I need to talk to you, and it might as well be now."  
  
"Sounds serious."  
  
"It is."  
  
Dom stood awkwardly, waiting for Kate to continue.  
  
"I know that you were involved in some insane shit a few years ago, and that's why Jesse's in a wheelchair and Vince and Brian were in jail. There's been talk about robbing trucks and one going wrong and that Brian used to be a cop and all this crap. And I accepted that. But I need to know if you're doing anything like that now."  
  
Dom was tempted to get angry. His ego was livid. This woman knew nothing about what happened a few years ago. But the haggard look on her face made him soften. He knew instinctively that he needed to tell her the truth.  
  
"Not at the moment. There's been talk of doing something again, but with a narc out there, I can't risk it."  
  
"And you're not doing anything else but the races?"  
  
"No." He gave the air a few seconds to decharge. "What's this all about?"  
  
"I got a visit from social services a few days ago. They're threatening to take away my baby if they find any connection between me, you, and the trucks. They don't like that I'm going out with someone who already has a bad record," she tried to say as softly as she could. "But I think it's the police that are out to get you, and they want it any way they can. That includes my child, if it will get me to tell them something. So don't tell me anymore about it. I will never say you're guilty of something you're not, but if it comes down to it, Dom, I will choose my child over you. And I don't want to make that decision."  
  
She knew it wasn't nice, knew it wasn't polite, but it was the truth. Kate needed her baby as much as it needed her.  
  
Again Dom's anger rose, but it was different somehow. It felt as if there was a little sorrow mixed in it. He could never imagine having a part of him torn from him. Dom tried to understand.  
  
"Fair enough." Kate nodded her agreement. "Anything else?"  
  
"Yeah, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. I won't be able to come into the shop during my third trimester."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"When I went to the doctor yesterday, she told me that I have a thin cervix. Once the baby's that big, too much stress can cause me to go into labor. She wants me to stay in bed for those three months. I can only get up to go to the bathroom or go downstairs and lay on the couch. And the last six weeks, I'm not supposed to walk at all. It's the best chance I have of carrying this kid to term."  
  
"Okay, don't worry about it. We can cover it."  
  
"Good to know I'm disposable," she joked.  
  
"So what's all this?" Dom asked, gesturing to all the pictures and boxes.  
  
"Ahh, this. This is my artwork. Some of my old stuff and a lot of new stuff. I have a show coming up in two weeks. The whole team is invited."  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
"San Diego. It's a really formal place. I've got to get a new dress. Can you make sure everyone knows they gotta wear a tux or a formal dress?"  
  
"Yeah, I can do that." He grinned, imagining Vince in a tuxedo and Letty in an evening gown. "What's all going in it?" he asked.  
  
"Everything you see here," she said, "and whatever else I can come up with between now and then."  
  
Dom's attention immediately shifted to the nude collage. "Even that?"  
  
"Yeah, even that."  
  
Oh. Hell.  
  
"Wait, wait, wait. You can't put that in the show."  
  
"Why not?" she asked indignantly.  
  
"Because... Because that's me. Naked. I don't have any clothes on. People are going to see that."  
  
"People seeing art, yes, that's the general idea of an art show."  
  
"But I'm naked, I mean, how could you let anyone see me like that?"  
  
"Well, I thought you knew I was taking pictures of you for use in my work."  
  
"I did, but I didn't know that other people would see it."  
  
"C'mon, Dom, tell me you didn't realize that when I took those pictures."  
  
"I don't know, kitten, it's just, strange, that's all."  
  
"Look, I'll think of something, Dom."  
  
"What can you possibly think of?"  
  
"I don't know. But whatever it is, it'll just make it better. Hell, I can put a fig leaf on it and call it a really neato artistic statement. Yeah, that's what I'll do. Then people will really want to buy it."  
  
"Buy it? This is for sale? No. I can't have someone able to just pull my leaf off when they want."  
  
"Honey, I'm sorry to say it, but you don't have a choice."  
  
Kate tried to shoo him from the room, but Dom wouldn't budge.  
  
"This ain't over. We'll talk about it tomorrow night."  
  
"Sure we will, Dom." 


	20. chapter 19 - will i continue to act naug...

Chapter Nineteen  
  
Will I Continue to Act Naughty?  
  
The sunlight crept through Dom's window, its supine fingers treading stealthily from the open curtains to Dom's bed. It gently caressed him with its warmth as he slept.  
  
But Dom didn't notice it. He was enthralled with his dream.  
  
At first, he wasn't sure what it was about. He was in a surreal world with a shifting, colored atmosphere when he saw his shadow. Before his eyes, it transformed into a small black cat with a disproportionately long tail. It looked familiar though, so he followed it when it began to walk away. Then he saw a woman's arm, and the cat jumped onto the hand and crawled up the arm until it reached the shoulder. Impossibly, it sat on the bicep and wrapped its tail around the arm, the end reaching the back of the elbow. The cat then seemed to deflate and sink into the arm, leaving a black stain.  
  
No, it was a tattoo, one that Dom recognized. The arm belonged to Kate, but where was the rest of her?  
  
Dom took the hand in his and gently pulled. Kate seemed to be tugged out of the air and almost floated towards him. It wasn't until she was directly in front of him that he realized that she was wearing nothing but her green apron. He had begun to wonder what was under it when it slowly dropped from her body and pooled at her feet.  
  
Dom took advantage of her nudity and ran his eyes over her body. Her upper chest, neck, and face were clear to his view. He could see her stomach was as flat as when he first saw her, no traces of pregnancy. Her legs extended up to about mid-thigh. However, her feet, hip and groin area, and her chest were blurry. As strange as it was, it didn't distract him from his dream.  
  
Her eyes closed as she was revealed to him. Kate's head fell back and she gasped. Her hands went to her groin and she moaned.  
  
"Dom-mmm," she breathed.  
  
His eyes traveled back to that unclear place, and Dom's face was instantly buried there. Another slightly odd feeling spread over him. He could taste and feel what he couldn't clearly see. Closing his eyes, Dom held her hips as his mouth worked over her. Little moans began to bubble up from her, followed by a short, high pitched "oh" as he gently nipped her little nub.  
  
"Ohhhhh, Dominic, yeah."  
  
Dom could feel her coming close to the peak, but he didn't want to give that to her yet. Instead, he back away after planting a small kiss on her mons and spread her legs, putting them over his shoulders. He shoved into her and she squealed. But her squeal turned into a loud, throbbing beep. What the hell?  
  
Dom's eyes sprang open and his head popped up with a deep breath.  
  
"Uhhh," he growled at the alarm clock. He didn't want to get up; he wanted to finish that dream. It was too late for that, but he could always come up with an ending for it in the shower. That idea gave him hope for his extremely hard dick.  
  
In a flash he was up and in the bathroom. He opened the curtain and pushed the seat that Jesse used out of his way. The seat was one of the few reminders that Jesse was paralyzed. Along with it was the lift on the staircase and the ramp that he, Vince, and Leon built for the porch.  
  
Leaving those thoughts for another day, Dom turned on the shower and tested the water, adjusting it to the right temperature. Once it was warm enough, he stepped in.  
  
The hot water cascaded over his scalp, back, and chest before running over his stomach and legs and flowing to the floor. Short curly hair on his torso guided rivulets of water. Dom took a moment to revel in the liquid warmth that encased him.  
  
As he let the water soak him, he considered his dream. It seemed strange that he couldn't make out her chest, crotch, or feet. Everything else was so clear. Then it had hit him: when he dreamed, he could only see the faces of people he knew, so it would make sense that he would only see the parts of Kate's body that he had seen before. On the night he and Kate had met and raced, her shirt had shown off her stomach. Her tops usually displayed her upper chest, cleavage excluded. Once, when it was over one hundred degrees, Kate had worn very tiny shorts to work. But Dom had never seen her naked, he had never even seen her feet. That mystery was solved.  
  
During his analysis, Dom had started to lather up his washcloth with Mia's citrus body wash that he secretly loved. It smelled so fresh and had and aroma-therapeutic result: it woke him up any time he was tired.  
  
Dom began to run the cloth over his arms then his chest, the smell washing away his sleepiness. His hands traveled to his stomach, the cloth making a stop at his navel before seeking below. Dom's hand rested on his erection. Yep, it was still there, waiting to be taken care of. With his eyes still closed, he purred. Soap was such a whore.  
  
Dom had seen his share of whores. All he wanted at that moment was Kate. Well, he wanted to finish that dream with Kate. However, he was alone. He could take care of himself.  
  
Using the faint memories of his dream, he reconstructed the world, modifying it to satisfy his needs. He could now picture Kate in the shower with him, his mind filling in the parts it had left out in the dream. The washcloth was dropped to the floor and his hands retraced a familiar path down his body as he thought nasty things of Kate and what she would do to him in the shower. Better yet, what he would do to her in the shower.  
  
Ohhhhh, Dominic, yeah, she would whisper to him again.  
  
All too soon he felt a warm tingle spread throughout his body.  
  
Dom-mmm.  
  
Dom's grip tightened as his hips thrust into his hands. His muscles clenched and his toes curled. Mouth open, he panted and let out a slight moan.  
  
Oh, oh, right there, yeah, that's nice, he cheered for himself. A sigh escaped his lips as his body relaxed. One hand reached toward the wall, and he used it to steady himself. He allowed himself a few minutes to enjoy the entrails of pleasure before he bent down and reached for the cloth he had dropped.  
  
As Dom finished cleaning himself, someone knocked on the door.  
  
"Hey, we got people lining up out here," Jesse's voice came through the door, muffled.  
  
Dom rinsed himself then turned off the water. He stepped out of the shower and took a towel from the shelf above the toilet, wrapping it around his waist. He looked in the mirror and contemplated shaving, but he decided to just go with stubble that day.  
  
He turned and walked to the door. Opening it, he was met with a tired looking Jesse with a just as sleepy Leon standing behind him.  
  
"Use Mia's soap," Dom said before he realized the words were coming from his mouth. Jesse appeared to be the only one that noticed as he wheeled himself into the bathroom.  
  
"Yeah, whatever, Dom," he heard before the door closed. 


End file.
